Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Heart damage and arrhythmias in greyhounds given ractopamine
By Yaeger, M J et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·2012·Department of Veterinary Pathology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Myocardial toxicity in a group of greyhounds administered ractopamine.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Nine greyhounds were given a feed additive called ractopamine to see if it could be detected in their urine. After taking the drug, seven of the dogs showed signs of heart problems, including irregular heartbeats, and had elevated levels of a protein indicating heart damage. Two of the dogs that were examined after death had serious heart and muscle damage. This study highlights the potential dangers of ractopamine, especially for racing dogs, as it can cause significant harm to their heart and muscles.
People also search for: greyhound heart problems · ractopamine effects on dogs · dog cardiac arrhythmias treatment
Abstract
Ractopamine, a synthetic β(2)-adrenoceptor agonist, is widely used as a feed additive in the United States to promote a reduction in body fat and enhance muscle growth in cattle, pigs, and turkeys. It has the potential for illegal use in show and racing animals because it may affect performance via its β-adrenergic agonist properties or anabolic activities. Nine greyhounds were orally administered 1 mg/kg of ractopamine to investigate the ability to detect the drug in urine. Postdosing, 7 of 9 dogs developed cardiac arrhythmias and had elevated troponin levels indicating myocardial damage. One dog necropsied 4 days postdosing had massive myocardial necrosis, mild to focally moderate skeletal muscle necrosis, and widespread segmental arterial mediolysis. A second dog necropsied 17 days postdosing had mild myocardial necrosis and fibrosis. Scattered arteries exhibited segmental medial and perimedial fibromuscular dysplasia. This is the first reported case of arterial, cardiac, and skeletal muscle damage associated with ractopamine.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21997565/