Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Third-degree heart block linked to heart disease in 3-year-old Cocker
By Favier, F D et al.Ā·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary CardiologyĀ·2025Ā·Department of Clinical Sciences, NetherlandsĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Third-degree atrioventricular block associated with suspected arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy in a three-year-old Cocker spaniel.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old spayed female English Cocker spaniel was brought to the vet because she had diarrhea, a swollen belly, and was having trouble exercising. During the exam, the vet found a slow heart rate and a heart murmur. Tests showed she had a serious heart condition called a third-degree atrioventricular block, along with severe heart muscle damage. Despite getting a pacemaker and treatment for heart failure, her health worsened quickly, and she was euthanized. The examination after her passing revealed significant heart damage, confirming a diagnosis of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.
People also search for: dog heart problems Ā· Cocker spaniel exercise intolerance Ā· arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy treatment
Abstract
A three-year-old spayed female English Cocker spaniel was presented with diarrhea, abdominal distension, and exercise intolerance. On physical examination, bradycardia, abdominal distension with positive undulation, and a soft systolic right-sided heart murmur were detected. Electrocardiography showed a third-degree atrioventricular block with monomorphic idioventricular rhythm and premature ventricular ectopic beats. On echocardiography, an extremely thin right ventricular wall, severe right ventricular and atrial dilation, and severely depressed right ventricular systolic function were observed, and ascites was confirmed. Despite pacemaker implantation and standard treatment for congestive heart failure, the dog's condition deteriorated quickly, leading to euthanasia. Pathological examination showed a thin right ventricular free wall with fibrosis and largely absent cardiomyocytes, along with myocardial infiltration of adipocytes and lymphocytes. An arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy complicated with a third-degree atrioventricular block was considered the most likely diagnosis.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40743604/