Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How common is mitral valve disease in dogs in England and what raises
By M. Mattin et al.·Published in Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine·2015·View original on Semantic Scholar →
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Original publication title: Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Degenerative Mitral Valve Disease in Dogs Attending Primary‐care Veterinary Practices in England
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) is a common heart problem in dogs, affecting about 0.36% of those seen in primary-care veterinary practices in England. The research showed that male dogs are more likely to be diagnosed with DMVD than females, and insured dogs have a higher risk compared to those without insurance. Additionally, smaller dogs (under 20 kg) are more likely to develop this condition than larger dogs. Understanding these risk factors can help veterinarians identify at-risk dogs and improve diagnosis and treatment options.
People also search for: dog heart murmur symptoms · degenerative mitral valve disease in dogs · heart problems in small dogs · DMVD treatment for dogs
Abstract
Background To date, epidemiological studies on degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) in dogs have largely reported referral caseloads or been limited to predisposed breeds. Analysis of primary‐care data to identify factors associated with DMVD would help clinicians identify high‐risk individuals and improve understanding. Objectives To estimate the prevalence of and identify risk factors for DMVD in dogs attending primary‐care veterinary practices in England. Animals Cases were identified within the electronic patient records of 111,967 dogs attending 93 practices. Four hundred and 5 dogs were diagnosed with DMVD (diagnosed cases) and a further 3,557 dogs had a heart murmur (HM) consistent with DMVD (possible cases). Methods Retrospective cross‐sectional study design. Prevalence was adjusted for the sampling approach. Mixed effects logistic regression models identified factors associated with DMVD. Results Prevalence estimates of diagnosed DMVD and HMs consistent with DMVD (both diagnosed and possible cases) were 0.36% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.29–0.45) and 3.54% (95% CI: 3.26–3.84) respectively. In the multivariable analysis, males had higher odds of diagnosed DMVD than did females (odds ratio [OR] 1.40, 95% CI: 1.12–1.74). Insured dogs had increased odds of DMVD compared with noninsured dogs (OR 3.56, 95% CI: 2.79–4.55) and dogs ≥20 kg had approximately half the odds of DMVD diagnosis compared with dogs <20 kg (OR 0.51, 95% CI: 0.36–0.74). Strong associations between a DMVD diagnosis and individual breeds and age were identified. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Degenerative mitral valve disease was a common disorder in practice‐attending dogs. Knowledge of identified risk factors for DMVD could improve clinical diagnosis and direct future research.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/25857638