Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Hourly changes in abnormal heartbeats in Boxers with heart disease
By Scansen, B A et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2009·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Temporal variability of ventricular arrhythmias in Boxer dogs with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 162 Boxer dogs with a heart condition called arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) were monitored for irregular heartbeats known as premature ventricular complexes (PVCs). The study found that these irregular beats were slightly more common in the morning and late afternoon, but overall, the occurrence of PVCs remained fairly stable throughout the day. There wasn't a clear link between the dogs' heart rates and the frequency of PVCs. This information can help veterinarians better understand and manage heart issues in Boxers with ARVC.
People also search for: Boxer dog heart problems · arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy treatment · premature ventricular complexes in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is prevalent in the Boxer. There is little information on the temporal variability of ventricular arrhythmias within affected dogs. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate ambulatory electrocardiograms (AECG) from Boxers with ARVC for hourly variation in premature ventricular complexes (PVC) and heart rate (HR). ANIMALS: One hundred and sixty-two Boxer dogs with ARVC. METHODS: Retrospective, observational study of 1,181 AECGs collected from Boxer dogs at The Ohio State University from 1997 to 2004 was evaluated. The proportion of depolarizations that were PVCs was compared across each hour of the day, during six 4-hour periods of day, to the time after AECG application, and to the maximum and minimum HR. RESULTS: A lower proportion of PVCs was noted during early morning (midnight to 0400 hours) as compared with the morning (0800-1200 hours) and late (1600-2000 hours) afternoon (P= .012). There was no increase in PVC proportion in the 1st hour after AECG application as compared with all other hours of the day (P= .06). There was poor correlation between maximum (rho= 0.19) and minimum (rho= 0.12) HR and PVC proportion. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The likelihood of PVC occurrence in Boxer dogs with ARVC was relatively constant throughout the day, although slightly greater during the hours of 0800-1200 and 1600-2000. A biologically important correlation with HR was not apparent. The role of autonomic activity in the modulation of electrical instability in the Boxer with ARVC requires further study.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19678888/