Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
English Bulldog with fast heart rhythm mimicking ventricular
By Santilli, Roberto A et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2012·Clinica Veterinaria Malpensa, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Orthodromic atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia conducted with intraventricular conduction disturbance mimicking ventricular tachycardia in an English Bulldog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old English Bulldog was brought in for severe weakness and shock due to a fast heart rate that looked like a dangerous heart rhythm. The vet used a technique called manual cardioversion, which involved a quick thump to the chest, to restore the dog's normal heart rhythm. This revealed a specific heart issue called supraventricular tachycardia, which is a rapid heartbeat caused by an abnormal electrical pathway in the heart. After identifying the problem, the vet could determine the best treatment options for the dog. The Bulldog's heart rhythm was successfully stabilized, and he was treated accordingly.
People also search for: dog fast heart rate treatment · English Bulldog heart problems · cardiogenic shock in dogs
Abstract
Electrocardiographic tracings of an English Bulldog referred for cardiogenic shock due to an orthodromic atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia conducted with intraventricular conduction disturbance and mimicking ventricular tachycardia (VT) are presented. At admission the surface ECG showed a wide QRS complex tachycardia (WCT) that was converted to sinus rhythm using manual cardioversion (chest thump). This change revealed pre-existing right bundle branch block, and a final diagnosis of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) with intraventricular conduction disturbance was made. Electrophysiologic study defined the SVT mechanism as an atrioventricular macroreentrant tachycardia mediated by a single mid-septal accessory pathway. The differentiation between various types of WCT is essential when antiarrhythmic therapy is considered. The surface ECG should be systematically evaluated in order to recognize the characteristic features of SVT and VT. Moreover chest thump procedure can be very helpful in the attempt to convert the rhythm to sinus rhythm and to correctly recognize the underlying arrhythmia.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22609095/