Echocardiographic Changes in Dogs with Stage B2 Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease Treated with Pimobendan Monotherapy.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of chronic pimobendan monotherapy on cardiac size in dogs with stage B2 myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). Data from 31 dogs diagnosed with MMVD and cardiomegaly (LA/Ao ≥ 1.6 and LVIDdn ≥ 1.

Epicardial pacemaker placement in cats is associated with resolution of clinical signs and excellent quality of life.

Objective: To describe complications and outcomes in cats undergoing epicardial pacemaker (EP) implantation for artificial cardiac pacing and to investigate improvement in clinical signs and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) following surgery.

Methods: 39 client-owned cats that underwent EP placement. Medical records of 4 UK-based referral hospitals were searched and data reviewed retrospectively between July 2010 and December 2022.

Assessing the use of blood microRNA expression patterns for predictive diagnosis of myxomatous mitral valve disease in dogs.

Background: Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is a common, acquired, and progressive canine heart disease. The presence of heart murmur and current cardiac biomarkers are useful in MMVD cases but are not sufficiently discriminatory for staging an individual patient.

Objectives: This study aimed to conduct a preliminary assessment of canine serum and plasma expression profiles of 15 selected miRNA markers for accurate discrimination between MMVD patients and healthy controls.

Assessment of right ventricular function in healthy Great Danes and in Great Danes with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Introduction: Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is a significant negative prognostic indicator in human dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Many RV indices are weight-dependent, and there is a lack of reference values for the right heart in giant breed dogs (over 50 kg), including Great Danes (GDs). This study aimed to compare indices of RV function in echocardiographically normal GDs, those with preclinical DCM (PC-DCM), and those with DCM and congestive heart failure (DCM-CHF).

Epicardial pacemaker placement is associated with low complication rate and improved quality of life in dogs.

Objective: To describe complications and outcomes in dogs undergoing epicardial pacemaker (EP) implantation, identify factors associated with survival, and investigate improvement in clinical signs and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) following surgery.

Animals: 52 client-owned dogs that underwent EP placement.

Methods: Medical records of 4 UK-based referral hospitals were searched and data reviewed retrospectively between July 2010 and December 2022.

Longitudinal analysis of echocardiographic and cardiac biomarker variables in dogs with atrial fibrillation: The optimal rate control in dogs with atrial fibrillation II study.

Background: Rate control (RC; meanHR ≤ 125 bpm) increases survival in dogs with atrial fibrillation (AF). The mechanisms remain unclear.

Hypothesis/objectives: Investigate echocardiographic and biomarker differences between RC and non-RC (NRC) dogs.

The effect of obesity and subsequent weight reduction on cardiac morphology and function in cats.

Background: In people, obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, associated with systemic hypertension, cardiac remodelling and systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Weight reduction can reverse myocardial remodelling and reduce risk of subsequent cardiovascular disease. In cats, far less is known regarding the effects of obesity and subsequent weight reduction on cardiovascular morphology and function.

Automated echocardiographic left ventricular dimension assessment in dogs using artificial intelligence: Development and validation.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) could improve accuracy and reproducibility of echocardiographic measurements in dogs.

Hypothesis: A neural network can be trained to measure echocardiographic left ventricular (LV) linear dimensions in dogs.

Animals: Training dataset: 1398 frames from 461 canine echocardiograms from a single specialist center.

Double-Outlet Right Atrium in a Young Cat.

• DORA is a rare variant of endocardial cushion defect reported in both people and cats. • DORA is associated with variable clinical presentation and prognosis. • DORA is a possible differential diagnosis in cats with ASD and obstruction to LA outflow.

Clinical presentation, management, and survival in dogs with persistent atrial standstill in the United Kingdom.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical and echocardiographic presentation of dogs with persistent atrial standstill (PAS), identify variables measured at first presentation that could predict their survival, and document the progression of the disease after pacing.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective study of medical records of dogs diagnosed with PAS at three referral hospitals of the United Kingdom over seven years.

Results: Twenty-six dogs were diagnosed with PAS during the study period.

Optimal rate control in dogs with atrial fibrillation-ORCA study-Multicenter prospective observational study: Prognostic impact and predictors of rate control.

Background: The optimal heart rate (HR) in dogs with atrial fibrillation (AF) is unknown. Impact of HR on survival needs elucidation.

Hypothesis/objectives: Dogs with a 24 hours Holter-derived meanHR ≤125 beats per minute (bpm; rate controlled) survive longer than dogs with higher meanHR.

Long-term outcome and troponin I concentrations in Great Danes screened for dilated cardiomyopathy: an observational retrospective epidemiological study.

Introduction: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is common in Great Danes (GDs) but screening for this condition can be challenging. We hypothesised that cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) concentration is elevated in GDs with DCM and/or ventricular arrhythmias (VAs), and is associated with reduced survival time in GDs.

Animals: One hundred and twenty-four client-owned GDs assigned echocardiographically as normal (n = 53), equivocal (n = 37), preclinical DCM (n = 21), or clinical DCM (n = 13).

Infective endocarditis in dogs in the UK: 77 cases (2009-2019).

Objectives: To determine the causative organisms, clinical features and outcome of canine infective endocarditis in the UK.

Materials And Methods: Medical records of three veterinary referral hospitals were searched for dogs with infective endocarditis between December 2009 and December 2019. Signalment, clinical signs, causative organism, valve affected, treatment and survival data were recorded.

The effect of obesity and subsequent weight reduction on cardiac structure and function in dogs.

Background: In people, the cardiovascular effects of obesity include systemic hypertension, cardiac remodelling and both systolic and diastolic dysfunction, whilst weight reduction can reverse myocardial remodelling and reduce risk of subsequent cardiovascular disease. To date, variable results are reported in studies of the effect of obesity and controlled weight reduction on cardiovascular morphology and function in dogs. This prospective study aimed to assess cardiac function, heart rate variability, cardiac biomarkers and body composition before and after weight reduction in pet dogs with obesity.

Effect of cilobradine in cats with a first episode of congestive heart failure due to primary cardiomyopathy.

Introduction: Heart rate (HR) is often elevated in cats with cardiomyopathies (CMPs). Pharmacologic modulation of HR may reduce cardiac morbidity and mortality.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of cilobradine vs.

Cor triatriatum dexter of unusual morphology in a miniature schnauzer.

A five-year-nine-month-old, male entire, miniature schnauzer presented for further investigation of pleural effusion. Echocardiography revealed a perforated membrane dividing the right atrium into two chambers: the true right atrium (a small, lower-pressure, cranioventral chamber communicating with the tricuspid valve and right ventricle) and the accessory right atrium (a larger, higher-pressure, caudodorsal chamber), consistent with a cor triatriatum dexter. This was confirmed using computed tomography angiography.

Usefulness of cardiac biomarker screening to detect dilated cardiomyopathy in Dobermanns.

Objectives: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of two cardiac biomarker assays (N-terminal pro-BNP , Troponin I) in detecting dilated cardiomyopathy in Dobermanns.

Materials And Methods: Dobermanns undergoing cardiac biomarker testing were screened by echocardiography and Holter monitoring, then assigned to a group: normal, equivocal, arrhythmia form of dilated cardiomyopathy, echocardiographic form of dilated cardiomyopathy or both. Some were reassessed to identify final status.

Evaluation of serum cardiac troponin-I concentrations for diagnosis of infective endocarditis in dogs.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) in dogs is associated with severe disease and a high case fatality rate but often presents with nonspecific clinical signs.

Hypothesis/objectives: Serum concentration of cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) is elevated in dogs with IE and can differentiate dogs with IE from dogs with other diseases with similar clinical features. Concentration of serum cTnI is negatively correlated with survival time in dogs with IE.

Echocardiographic reference intervals in healthy UK deerhounds and prevalence of preclinical dilated cardiomyopathy: a prospective, longitudinal study.

Background: Sighthounds have high echocardiographic (ECHO) left ventricular volumes. Establishing robust breed-specific ECHO reference intervals (RI) for screening is important. End-diastolic volume index (EDVI), end-systolic volume index (ESVI) and ejection fraction (EF) reference ranges derived by Simpson's method of discs are not available for deerhounds.

Clinical features and outcome of dogs and cats with bidirectional and continuous right-to-left shunting patent ductus arteriosus.

Background: Studies describing the clinical progression of animals with reverse patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) are lacking.

Objectives: To describe the signalment, presenting signs, echocardiographic features, and survival in a group of dogs and cats with bidirectional and continuous right-to-left PDA.

Animals: Forty-six client-owned animals included, comprising 43 dogs and 3 cats with bidirectional or continuous right-to-left PDA.

Low plasma taurine levels in English cocker spaniels diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate taurine levels in English cocker spaniels with dilated cardiomyopathy and assess their survival time and natural progression of their disease.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective comparison of English cocker spaniels with dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype with and without taurine deficiency at the cardiology department of a UK academic referral centre between 2008 and 2018.

Results: Taurine plasma concentration was available in 16 English cocker spaniels with dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype; 13 of 16 had congestive heart failure and three of 16 did not.

Mitral valve dysplasia in eight English Springer Spaniels.

Introduction: To describe the signalment, physical examination, and echocardiographic findings of a series of English Springer Spaniels (ESSs) diagnosed with congenital mitral valve dysplasia (MD).

Animals: Eight client-owned ESSs with congenital MD referred for murmur investigation and/or suspected congestive heart failure (CHF).

Materials And Methods: Retrospective case series.

Association of diet with left ventricular wall thickness, troponin I and IGF-1 in cats with subclinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Cats with subclinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (sHCM) have elevated serum insulin and serum amyloid A concentrations correlating with the degree of cardiac hypertrophy. Diet might affect these and other cardiac variables.

Objective: Evaluate the effect of a complete, balanced diet with restricted starch and supplemented with eicosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid (EPA + DHA) on echocardiographic variables and cardiac biomarkers in cats with sHCM.

Exercise-associated rhythm disturbances in poorly performing Thoroughbreds: risk factors and association with racing performance.

Background: Exercise-associated cardiac rhythm disturbances are common, but there is a lack of evidence-based criteria on which to distinguish clinically relevant rhythm disturbances from those that are not.

Objectives: To describe and characterise rhythm disturbances during clinical exercise testing; to explore potential risk factors for these rhythm disturbances and to determine whether they influenced future racing.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort using a convenience sample.