Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Survival and prognosis in dogs with mitral valve disease
By Borgarelli, M et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2008·Department Patologia Animale, Italy·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Survival characteristics and prognostic variables of dogs with mitral regurgitation attributable to myxomatous valve disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 558 dogs with chronic mitral valve disease (CMVI), a common heart issue, were studied to understand their survival rates and what factors might affect their lifespan. The average survival time was about 19.5 months after diagnosis, with older dogs and those showing symptoms like fainting or rapid heart rates having a higher risk of shorter lives. Key indicators that suggested a poorer prognosis included specific measurements from heart ultrasounds. While mild cases of CMVI are generally not severe, certain signs can help veterinarians identify dogs that may need closer monitoring or treatment.
People also search for: dog heart disease symptoms · mitral valve disease in dogs · dog heart failure treatment · how long can a dog live with heart disease · signs of heart problems in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There are few studies evaluating the natural history and prognostic variables in chronic mitral valve disease (CMVI) in a heterogeneous population of dogs. OBJECTIVES: To estimate survival and prognostic value of clinical and echocardiographic variables in dogs with CMVI of varying severity. Five hundred and fifty-eight dogs belonging to 36 breeds were studied. METHODS: Dogs were included after clinical examination and echocardiography. Long-term outcome was assessed by telephone interview with the owner. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 22.7 +/- 13.6 months, and the median survival time was 19.5 +/- 13.2 months. In univariate analysis, age>8 years, syncope, HR>140 bpm, dyspnea, arrhythmias, class of heart failure (International Small Animal Cardiac Health Council), furosemide therapy, end-systolic volume-index (ESV-I)>30 mL/m(2), left atrial to aortic root ratio (LA/Ao)>1.7, E wave transmitral peak velocity (Emax)>1.2 m/s, and bilateral mitral valve leaflet engagement were associated with survival time when all causes of death were included. For the cardiac-related deaths, all the previous variables except dyspnea and EDV-I>100 mL/m(2) were significantly associated with survival time. Significant variables in multivariate analysis (all causes of death) were syncope, LA/Ao>1.7 m/s, and Emax>1.2 m/s. For cardiac-related death, the only significant variable was LA/Ao>1.7. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Mild CMVI is a relatively benign condition in dogs. However, some clinical variables can identify dogs at a higher risk of death; these variables might be useful to identify individuals that need more frequent monitoring or therapeutic intervention.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18289298/