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Pacemaker implants keep the heart beating regularly. This unit – half the size of a pack of cards -- is inserted under the patient’s skin. With electronic signals, it encourages the defective heart to beat at a more normal rate. Without a pacemaker, affected animals would not survive, because their heart cannot keep enough blood circulating to provide sufficient oxygen to muscles, the brain and other organs.
This radiograph shows a pacemaker installed between the muscle layers on a dog's neck, with a pacemaker lead affixed to the inside of the heart. The pacemaker sends an electrical impulse to the heart, stimulating it to beat more regularly.
| An example of an ECG obtained from a Miniature Schnauzer with episodes of fainting. A very fast heart rhythm (tachycardia) alternates with periods of no cardiac electrical activity (sinus arrest). A pacemaker was required to prevent the fainting episodes. |
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