Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dilated heart disease risk in Huntaway dogs compared to other breeds
By Munday, J S et al.·Published in New Zealand veterinary journal·2006·Institute of Veterinary·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A possible predisposition to dilated cardiomyopathy in Huntaway dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Four male New Zealand Huntaway dogs, averaging 4 years old, were found to have dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a serious heart condition that can lead to heart failure. Symptoms included signs of heart problems in three dogs and chronic kidney failure in one. The dogs had been showing symptoms for 1 to 3 weeks before being diagnosed. This breed appears to be more prone to DCM compared to other dog breeds, which is concerning for owners and farmers who rely on these working dogs. Further research is needed to understand this risk better and find ways to help affected dogs.
People also search for: Huntaway dog heart problems · dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs · symptoms of heart disease in dogs
Abstract
AIM: To compare the prevalence of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in New Zealand Huntaway dogs with the prevalence of DCM in other breeds of dog. METHODS: The necropsy database at Massey University was used to identify cases of DCM diagnosed between January 1999 and March 2006. Dogs were considered to have DCM if echocardiographic, gross necropsy, or histological findings were consistent with this diagnosis. The prevalence in Huntaways was then compared with the prevalence observed in all breeds of dog, as well as the prevalence observed in large breeds of dog. RESULTS: Twelve dogs were identified with DCM. One was diagnosed using echocardiography, while the other 11 were diagnosed by gross necropsy examination. The gross diagnosis of DCM was confirmed histologically in 6/11 dogs. The prevalence of DCM in Huntaways was significantly higher than the prevalence seen in all breeds of dog (p=0.008), and the prevalence in large breeds of dog (p=0.025). All four Huntaways diagnosed with DCM were male, and had an average age of 4 years. Three dogs presented with symptoms attributable to impaired heart function while one presented with symptoms of chronic renal failure. The duration of clinical symptoms prior to presentation ranged between 1 day and 3 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that Huntaways may be predisposed to the development of DCM. Although the increased prevalence in this breed was significant, only small numbers of affected Huntaways were identified, and additional cases are required to confirm these preliminary findings. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Huntaways are the most common working dog in New Zealand. The premature loss of a working dog is expected to have a significant economic impact on farmers. Further investigation of DCM in Huntaways may allow measures to reduce the prevalence in this breed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17028660/