Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Managing atrial fibrillation in a 20-year-old stallion
By Heliczer, N et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2017·Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Atrial fibrillation management in a breeding stallion.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 20-year-old warmblood stallion was found to have a fast and irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) during a routine semen collection. The vet used a procedure called electrical cardioversion to restore a normal heart rhythm, and then prescribed a medication called sotalol to help prevent the arrhythmia from coming back. Over the next six months, the stallion's heart function improved, and there were no negative side effects from the treatment. However, the atrial fibrillation returned after six months, but the sotalol continued to help manage his heart condition during breeding.
People also search for: stallion heart problems · atrial fibrillation treatment in horses · sotalol for horses · breeding stallion health issues
Abstract
A 20-year-old warmblood breeding stallion presented to a University practice for semen collection and evaluation was incidentally diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF). Electrocardiogram recordings during breeding revealed inappropriately rapid tachycardia and occasional ventricular premature depolarizations/aberrant ventricular conduction. Transvenous electrical cardioversion was performed. After successful cardioversion the horse displayed supraventricular ectopy and atrial contractile dysfunction and was administered sotalol hydrochloride in an attempt to decrease the risk of AF recurrence. Supraventricular ectopy and echocardiographic evidence of atrial dysfunction gradually improved and normalized over 6 months. No direct adverse effects of the chronic anti-arrhythmic treatment were observed and libido and semen quality were unaffected. AF recurred 6 months after cardioversion and sotalol therapy was continued to control the ventricular ectopy/aberrant ventricular conduction during semen collection. Considerations regarding pathologic arrhythmias and inappropriately high heart rates in breeding stallions with AF may be similar to those in riding horses. Sotalol hydrochloride was a safe anti-arrhythmic drug in the management of this case.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28336184/