WSU veterinary team successfully implants pacemaker

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ed Broberg fought for his life in a hospital bed. The primary reason he refused to stop fighting was Umber, his 11-year-old Czech shepherd. Umber came into his life in 2017 after her previous family could no longer care for her. Although originally reluctant to take her in, Broberg quickly fell in love, and the two have been inseparable ever since.

“The only time I’ve been apart from her since the day I got her was the 11 days I spent in a hospital with COVID-19,” Broberg told WSU Insider.¹ “I think the only reason I came out of that hospital was because I didn’t want her to think I abandoned her.”

Two years after his battle with COVID-19, a veterinarian diagnosed Umber with bradycardia. Although she was initially asymptomatic, she eventually began to collapse without warning. Broberg noted that she had 2 or 3 episodes where she would go down “like a rock.”

Concerned for her safety, Broberg brought Umber to Washington State University, where she was diagnosed with a third-degree atrioventricular (AV) block. Patients with this condition often present with a reduced ability to exercise because the heart rate cannot increase to accommodate physical activity; in severe cases, like Umber’s, activity leads to sudden fainting.² Because Umber's heart was beating too slowly to circulate enough oxygenated blood, her body would simply shut down. For patients with a third-degree AV block who do not respond to medication like atropine, the only effective treatment is a pacemaker.¹

Umber’s veterinary team, including Anna Golden, DVM; Katie Nadolny, DVM, DACVIM (cardiology); Sarah Bayles, DVM; and veterinary student Jaclyn Iseman, performed the surgery. They placed a pacing lead through Umber’s jugular vein and into her right ventricle, connecting it to a small generator that regulates her heart’s rhythm and ensures a healthy heart rate.

The change in Umber has been dramatic. She is no longer collapsing and has regained her energy. Most importantly for Broberg, the duo has gained precious time together.

“We were able to get [Broberg] more time with his best friend," Golden said.¹ [He] is the most compassionate, caring person, and his bond with Umber is unbelievable, so giving them more time together is a privilege.”

Reference

1. Rokyta D. WSU veterinarians restore dog’s heart, give owner more time with best friend. WSU Insider. March 31, 2026. Accessed April 1, 2026. https://news.wsu.edu/news/2026/03/31/wsu-veterinarians-restore-dogs-heart-give-owner-more-time-with-best-friend/
2. Third degree atrioventricular block. Veterinary Cardiac Referrals. Accessed April 1, 2025. https://www.vetcardioreferrals.com/third-degree-atrioventricular-block