Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dilated cardiomyopathy linked to low heart L-carnitine in dogs
By Keene, B W et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1991·Department of Medical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Myocardial L-carnitine deficiency in a family of dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A family of dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy (a heart condition) was found to have low levels of L-carnitine, a nutrient important for heart health. Two of these dogs were given high doses of L-carnitine, which significantly improved their heart function and overall health. However, when the L-carnitine was stopped, the dogs' heart problems returned. This suggests that L-carnitine supplementation can be beneficial for dogs with this condition.
People also search for: dog dilated cardiomyopathy treatment · L-carnitine for dogs heart health · symptoms of heart problems in dogs
Abstract
Dilated cardiomyopathy in a family of dogs was found to be associated with decreased myocardial L-carnitine concentrations, when compared with those in control dogs. In 2 affected dogs, treatment with high doses of L-carnitine was associated with increased myocardial L-carnitine concentration and greatly improved health and myocardial function. Withdrawal of L-carnitine supplementation from these dogs resulted in development of myocardial dysfunction and clinical signs of dilated cardiomyopathy.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2019534/