Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pulmonary hypertension risk in Cavalier King Charles spaniels
By Sudunagunta, S et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2019·Small Animal Teaching Hospital, United Kingdom·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: The prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in Cavalier King Charles spaniels compared with other breeds with myxomatous mitral valve disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that Cavalier King Charles spaniels (CKCS) with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) are more likely to develop pulmonary hypertension (PH) compared to dogs of other breeds. This condition can lead to congestive heart failure and increase the risk of cardiac death. The research indicated that the severity of MMVD was the main factor influencing the development of PH in these dogs. CKCS were particularly at risk for more severe outcomes, including a higher chance of dying from heart-related issues.
People also search for: Cavalier King Charles spaniel heart problems · dog pulmonary hypertension treatment · myxomatous mitral valve disease in dogs
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common consequence of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). Cavalier King Charles spaniels (CKCS) are frequently affected with MMVD and appear to have different disease progression compared to other dogs. This study aimed to determine if CKCS are more likely to develop PH as a result of MMVD than dogs of other breeds. A secondary aim was to explore whether breed or PH impacted survival. ANIMALS: A total of 187 dogs diagnosed with MMVD, 94 CKCS and 93 non-CKCS, were included in this study. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of dogs with MMVD. Data were analyzed for presence of PH, congestive heart failure (CHF) and echocardiographic variables including the ratio between mitral E wave velocity (E vel) and isovolumic relaxation time (E/IVRT) and were compared between CKCS/non-CKCS and dogs with/without PH. Survival analysis was also performed. RESULTS: American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) stage (p < 0.001), CKCS (p = 0.005), left atrium-to-aortic ratio (LA/Ao) (p < 0.001), E vel (p < 0.001) and log(E/IVRT) (p < 0.001) were significant at the univariate level for PH development. At the multivariate level, only ACVIM stage remained significant (p = 0.044), suggesting that worsening MMVD was the predominant determinant of PH development in this study. Pulmonary hypertension was associated with greater likelihood of CHF (p < 0.001) and death (both cardiac [p < 0.001] and all-cause mortality [p = 0.011]). Cavalier King Charles spaniels were more likely to experience cardiac death than non-CKCS (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, development of PH was associated with worse MMVD, according to ACVIM stage.
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/31174726/