Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How to screen large breed dogs for dilated heart disease
By Wess, G·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2022·Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Screening for dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old Doberman was evaluated for potential heart problems due to concerns about dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a common heart disease in large breed dogs. The veterinarian recommended a Holter monitor to check for irregular heartbeats, as well as echocardiographic tests to assess heart function. It's important for owners of breeds like Dobermans and Boxers to have their dogs screened yearly for DCM, as early detection can help manage the condition. Regular monitoring can catch issues before they become serious, helping dogs live healthier lives.
People also search for: Doberman heart problems · dilated cardiomyopathy screening in dogs · how to detect heart disease in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the most common cardiac disease in large breed dogs. The disease can start with arrhythmias or with systolic dysfunction of the myocardium. OBJECTIVE: To describe screening methods for DCM in various breeds and provide a new, modified staging system. RECOMMENDATIONS: Screening for occult DCM should start at three years of age and use Holter monitoring in Boxers and Dobermans and might be useful also in other breeds. Single ventricular premature complexes (VPCs) can be detected in many healthy dogs, but healthy animals typically have <50 VPCs in 24 h and demonstrate minimal complexity most often occurring only as single ectopic beats. In general, >100 VPCs in 24 h was recommended as the cut-off value for establishing a diagnosis of DCM. However, there are breed-specific recommendations related to Holter recording diagnosis of DCM in Dobermans and Boxers. Yearly screening over the life of a dog is recommended, as a one-time screening is not sufficient to rule out the future development of DCM. Several echocardiographic methods such as M-mode derived measurements, the measurement of the left ventricular (LV) volume by Simpson's method of discs (SMOD), and E-point to septal separation (EPSS) are recommended for screening purposes. The value of additional tests such as cardiac biomarkers (troponin I and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) as well as a 5-min resting electrocardiogram (ECG) or newer echocardiographic methods such as strain measurements is discussed. CONCLUSION: This review suggests some guidelines for screening for DCM in various breeds.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34732313/