Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Normal heart blood test levels in retired racing Greyhounds
By Couto, Kristen M et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2015·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentration in healthy retired racing Greyhounds.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of healthy retired racing Greyhounds was tested for a heart-related protein called NT-proBNP, which can indicate heart problems in dogs. The results showed that these Greyhounds had higher levels of this protein compared to other breeds, with nearly half having levels above what is typically considered normal. This means that while high NT-proBNP levels can suggest heart issues, in Greyhounds, it may not always indicate a problem since their baseline levels are naturally higher. Owners of Greyhounds should be aware of this when discussing heart health with their veterinarian.
People also search for: Greyhound heart health · NT-proBNP levels in dogs · heart problems in Greyhounds
Abstract
BACKGROUND: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a cardiac biomarker whose plasma concentration is high in some dogs with cardiopulmonary disease. NT-proBNP is a diagnostic tool that can be used to help determine if a patient has congestive heart failure. Greyhounds have functional heart murmurs, relative cardiomegaly, and high serum cTnI concentration. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the plasma concentration of NT-proBNP in healthy Greyhounds and compare it to non-Greyhound dogs. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated healthy client-owned dogs including retired racing Greyhounds and non-Greyhounds. Plasma was obtained and transferred into tubes containing a protease inhibitor and submitted for a specific NT-proBNP ELISA assay. RESULTS: The plasma NT-proBNP concentration in Greyhounds was significantly higher than in non-Greyhound control dogs (946 vs 632 pmol/L; P < .005); 46% of Greyhounds had NT-proBNP > 1000 pmol/L. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma NT-proBNP concentration in Greyhounds is high and should be interpreted with caution.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25982692/