Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Heart rate variability changes in dogs with Chagas disease and heart
By Madigan, Roy et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2025·1Vida Pharmacal and United Veterinary Care·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Heart rate variability derangements in dogs with Chagas disease: a potential indicator of autonomic and cardiac disruption.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 112 dogs diagnosed with Chagas disease (a parasitic infection) were monitored for heart rate changes to see if it could indicate heart and nervous system problems. About 41% of these dogs showed symptoms like arrhythmias, while the rest appeared healthy but still had heart rate irregularities. The study found that heart rate variability issues were common in all dogs, suggesting that even those without symptoms could be at risk for heart problems. Monitoring heart rate variability could help veterinarians detect and manage Chagas disease earlier in dogs.
People also search for: dog Chagas disease symptoms · heart rate variability in dogs · treating heart problems in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess heart rate variability (HRV) as a marker of autonomic nervous system disruption and its role in disease progression in dogs with Chagas disease (CD), and to evaluate arrhythmias and conduction abnormalities in symptomatic and asymptomatic groups. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted on dogs treated at a small animal hospital in central Texas from August to December 2023. Ambulatory 24-hour Holter monitoring was conducted to assess HRV metrics (proportion of pairs of successive NN intervals differing by > 50 milliseconds and root mean square of the successive differences), arrhythmias, and conduction abnormalities. Heart rate variability parameters were categorized as high, normal, or low. Dogs were classified as symptomatic or asymptomatic on the basis of clinical presentation, and comparisons of HRV and ECG findings between groups were performed. RESULTS: 112 client-owned dogs with confirmed Trypanosoma cruzi infection were included. Of the 112 dogs, 46 (41.1%) were symptomatic and 66 (58.9%) were asymptomatic. Heart rate variability disruptions were observed in 63% of dogs, underscoring early and widespread autonomic dysregulation in T cruzi infection. Symptomatic dogs had more arrhythmias (1.54 vs 1.02) and a higher prevalence of second-degree atrioventricular blocks (0.19 vs 0.03), but HRV abnormalities were similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Heart rate variability abnormalities were prominent across all dogs with CD, regardless of symptoms, suggesting their utility as early markers of autonomic and cardiac dysfunction. These findings highlight HRV's potential for monitoring disease progression, particularly in asymptomatic dogs, supporting its inclusion in routine assessments for T cruzi infections. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Heart rate variability analysis may enhance early detection and management of CD, an emerging One Health issue, by addressing underdiagnosed autonomic and cardiac dysfunction in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40107231/