Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Short-term weight and heart changes after IV diuretics in dogs
By Park, Sin-Wook et al.·Published in The veterinary quarterly·2026·Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prognostic relevance of short-term changes in body weight, renal indices, and echocardiographic variables after intravenous diuretic therapy in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease hospitalized for pulmonary edema.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with congestive heart failure due to myxomatous mitral valve disease were treated with intravenous diuretics to help relieve fluid buildup. After treatment, the dogs showed significant weight loss and improvements in heart measurements, but their kidney values worsened. Unfortunately, these short-term changes did not predict how long the dogs would live. The study found that dogs who had previously been on oral diuretics had a much shorter survival time compared to those who hadn't. This suggests that while the diuretics can help with immediate symptoms, they don't necessarily indicate a better long-term outcome.
People also search for: dog congestive heart failure treatment · myxomatous mitral valve disease prognosis · diuretics for dogs kidney health
Abstract
Congestive heart failure (CHF) secondary to myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is managed with diuretics, yet the prognostic value of short-term hemodynamic responses remains unclear. This retrospective study evaluated 50 dogs with ACVIM stage C or D MMVD hospitalized for CHF. We assessed changes in body weight, echocardiographic parameters, and renal values before and after intravenous (IV) diuretic therapy to determine their association with survival. IV diuretic therapy led to significant reductions in body weight and echocardiographic indices, including the left atrium-to-aortic root ratio (LA/Ao), normalized left ventricular internal diameter in diastole (LVIDDN), and early diastolic transmitral flow velocity (all< 0.005). Conversely, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine concentrations significantly increased ( < 0.001). However, neither short-term changes in these variables nor post-treatment values were associated with long-term survival. Baseline LA/Ao and LVIDDN were related to survival in univariable analysis, while prior oral diuretic therapy was the only independent predictor in the multivariable model (Hazard Ratio 4.21; < 0.001). Dogs with prior diuretic use had shorter median survival (194 days) than those without (459 days). Thus, short-term echocardiographic improvements reflect effective decongestion rather than long-term prognosis. Prognostic evaluation should prioritize baseline assessments and treatment history.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41873825/