An 11 year old male neutered Toy Poodle was presented for acute congestive heart failure due to severe degenerative mitral valve disease and ruptured chordae tendinae. After a conventional evaluation with thoracic radiographs and echocardiography, a cardiologist gave the dog a grave to guarded long term prognosis with a life expectancy of eight months. The dog was successfully managed for four and a half years after diagnosis using a combination of conventional pharmaceuticals at lower than normal doses, acupuncture and 3 Chinese herbal formulas Zhi Gan Cao Tang, Wu Pi San and Fu Fang Dan Shen Pian. Evaluation by a cardiologist every 6 months indicated little progression of the heart disease and the dog was euthanized at 16.5 years of age for reasons unrelated to his heart.