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If You have a Pacemaker; Can You Donate it to Your Dog after You Die?

We were recently made aware of a post that was trending on social media and thought it was worth some further research.  


Many people were declaring that if you have a pacemaker, you can put it in your will to have your pacemaker donated to a dog in need after you pass. As pacemakers cannot be donated to another human, but they can be donated to dogs with cardiac issues who would depend on them to stay alive, this is incredible news.  

The University of Missouri Veterinary Health Centre's website in America, informed that "MU veterinary cardiologist recycles donated pacemakers—from both pets and people—to maintain the rhythm of life for canine patients." Moreover, their article underscored those donating pacemakers reduces veterinary costs and provides a lasting benefit to dogs in need.  


“There is actually no difference between human and canine pacemakers,” says Stacey Leach, an assistant teaching professor and researcher at MU’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “We use the same equipment, the same technology. Often, the appliances we use for our canine patients are essentially human-grade equipment that was donated to us.”  


“We also receive—and encourage—donations of pacemakers that have outlived a patient, whether that patient was a dog or a human,” Leach says.  

“Within the cardiology community, there’s an organisation that serves as a repository for donated pacemakers, but there are so many cardiologists worldwide who are doing this procedure that they are very nearly always sold out,” Leach says. “So, unfortunately, we are becoming increasingly dependent on people donating pacemakers directly to us or purchasing brand new pacemakers, which can run several thousand dollars for the entire setup.  


The University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine runs a similar initiative, namely a "Pacemaker Donation Programme," that "provides heart patients at MCNH (The Medical Centre, Navicent Health) the option of donating their used pacemakers to canine heart patients at UGA." The article on the University of Georgia’s website informed.


Like humans, dogs are at risk for developing cardiac complications that can interfere with length and quality of life. Knowing that surgeries to address heart problems in dogs can be very expensive, one Navicent Health nurse decided to take action to help dogs in need of cardiac care.

  

“The similarities between how animals and humans are treated for certain diseases are very strong. When I was studying to become a nurse 20 years ago, I learned that pacemakers for human beings could be utilised in dogs as well,” said Terri Matula, a board-certified cardiovascular nurse at MCNH.  

An x-ray of a pacemaker implantation showing the lead coursing from the heart up the cranial vena cava to the jugular vein and then subcutaneously back to the generator. 


What's more, Medtronic, a medical device company, published an article with the title "Pets and pacemakers: best friends a while longer," about a miniature schnauzer that received a pacemaker donated by the company. It underscored that "therapies used in humans can also help animal patients."  


The pacemaker is inserted under the skin at the side of the dog’s neck. A pacing lead connects the pacemaker to the heart and delivers the electrical ‘spark’ that creates the heartbeat.  


Before recommending pacemaker implantation, Cardiologists will check the medical history provided by the dog’s vet as well as the results of any diagnostic tests such as bloodwork, ECG and chest x-rays. They will also perform a thorough clinical examination and cardiac ultrasound scan to check for any underlying problems. 

People in developing countries with heart problems may not be able to afford new pacemakers, but a new study suggests devices removed during autopsies may have enough remaining battery life to be donated and used again! 


Researchers found that of 334 autopsies performed between 2009 and 2011, 27 pacemakers were recovered. Of those, eight devices had at least four years of battery life remaining. 


The following two organisations have vets that specialise in advising on pacemakers for dogs so either would be a good place to start to see if they have a local practice to you that would be happy to receive your pacemaker as a donation after your death: 



 

So, yes, we are thrilled to confirm that human pacemakers do works in dogs.  


The best bit is that humans can leave a note in their will to allow the pacemaker to be removed and donated to save a dog's life. 


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