Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Heart problems and risk factors in Texas dogs with Chagas disease
By Meyers, Alyssa C et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2019·Department of Veterinary Integrative Bioscience, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Risk factors and select cardiac characteristics in dogs naturally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi presenting to a teaching hospital in Texas.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 375 dogs in Texas was tested for a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi, which can cause serious heart problems and sudden death. Out of these, 63 dogs were found to be infected, and they were generally younger than the non-infected dogs. Infected dogs were more likely to show heart rhythm issues and elevated cardiac troponin levels, indicating heart stress. This study highlights the importance of testing for this parasite, especially in dogs that live with infected companions, as it can lead to significant health issues.
People also search for: dog heart problems · Chagas disease in dogs · Trypanosoma cruzi symptoms · dog ECG abnormalities · testing for heart disease in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, causes sudden death and chronic heart disease with no currently approved treatment. OBJECTIVE: To report epidemiologic and select cardiac characteristics associated with T. cruzi infection in dogs presenting to a teaching hospital in Texas. ANIMALS: Three hundred seventy-five client-owned dogs. METHODS: A retrospective search of medical records identified dogs tested for T. cruzi antibodies or with histologic T. cruzi parasites. Data retrieved included signalment, location of residence, reported reason for testing, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentration, and ECG abnormalities. RESULTS: Trypanosoma cruzi-infected dogs (N = 63, 16.8%) were significantly younger than negative dogs (N = 312) (mean, 5.9 ± 3.8 versus 7.4 ± 4.0 years; P = .007) with no difference by sex or breed. Ninety-one breeds were tested; the highest percent infected were non-sporting (10/35; 29%) and toy breed (10/42; 24%) groups. The odds of infection were 13 times greater among dogs with an infected housemate or littermate (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.94-50.45; P < .001). Infected dogs were more likely to have ventricular arrhythmias (odds ratio [OR], 2.19; 95% CI, 1.15-4.33, P = .02), combinations of ECG abnormalities (OR, 2.91; 95% CI, 1.37-5.99; P = .004), and cTnI >0.129 ng/mL (ADVIA; OR, 10.71; 95% CI, 1.60-212.21; P = .035). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Dogs infected with T. cruzi were identified in Texas in many breed groups including breeds affected by well-described heart diseases that mimic Chagas disease suggesting a need for increased awareness, including knowledge of when to consider testing.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31119786/