Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Arterial blood gas levels differ in brachycephalic and other dogs
By Talbot, Charles T et al.·Published in American journal of veterinary research·2024·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Arterial blood gas measurements are different for brachycephalic and nonbrachycephalic dogs acclimatized to an altitude of 1,535 meters.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of healthy dogs living at an altitude of about 5,000 feet had their blood tested to measure oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. The study found that brachycephalic dogs (like Bulldogs and Pugs) had lower oxygen levels compared to other dogs with longer noses, which could affect their breathing. This means that the normal blood gas measurements for nonbrachycephalic dogs don't apply to brachycephalic dogs at high altitudes. It's important for vets to consider these differences when assessing brachycephalic dogs in similar environments.
People also search for: brachycephalic dog breathing problems · dog blood gas test results · altitude effects on dog health
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To define reference intervals (RIs) for arterial blood gas (aBG) measurements in healthy, nonsedated, dolichocephalic, and mesocephalic (nonbrachycephalic) dogs at approximately 1,535 m above sea level and compare these findings with healthy, nonsedated, brachycephalic dogs living at the same altitude. ANIMALS: 120 adult nonbrachycephalic dogs and 20 adult brachycephalic dogs. METHODS: Cases were prospectively enrolled from October 2021 to June 2022. Dogs were enrolled from the community or after presentation for wellness examinations or minor injuries including lacerations, nail injuries, and lameness. Physical examinations and systolic blood pressure (sBP) measurements were obtained before blood sample collection. Arterial blood was collected from the dorsal pedal artery or femoral artery. After data collection, brachycephalic dogs underwent pre- and postexercise tolerance assessments. RESULTS: The mean and RI values for arterial pH (7.442; 7.375 to 7.515), partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (Pao2; 78.3; 59.2 to 92.7 mm Hg), partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (Paco2; 28.0; 21.5 to 34.4 mm Hg), saturation of arterial oxygen (Sao2; 98.4; 84.3% to 101.4%), HCO3 (18.9; 14.9 to 22.4 mmol/L), concentration of total hemoglobin (ctHb; 17.5; 13.4 to 21.1 g/dL), and sBP (133; 94 to 180 mm Hg) were established for healthy nonbrachycephalic dogs at 1,535-m altitude. All aBG measurements were statistically and clinically different from those previously reported for dogs at sea level. Brachycephalic dogs had significantly lower Pao2 and Sao2 (P = .0150 and P = .0237, respectively) and significantly higher ctHb (P = .0396) compared to nonbrachycephalic dogs acclimatized to the same altitude; the nonbrachycephalic RIs were not transferable to the brachycephalic dogs for Pao2. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study represents the first collation of aBG measurements for healthy nonbrachycephalic dogs acclimatized to an altitude of 1,535 m. Additionally, this study identified differences in arterial oxygenation measurements between brachycephalic and nonbrachycephalic dogs. RIs in brachycephalic dogs need to be established.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38320399/