Treatment of supraventricular tachycardia in a horse.

Objective: To describe the treatment of persistent supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) in a young horse in endurance training.

Case Summary: A 6-year-old Arab gelding in endurance training presented for a dysrhythmia and decreased performance. SVT was diagnosed and conversion to a normal sinus rhythm was achieved following administration of a constant rate infusion of amiodarone.

Cardiopulmonary Effects of Laparoscopic Ovariectomy of Variable Duration in Cats.

Objective: To evaluate the cardiopulmonary effects of low-pressure (6 mmHg) peritoneal insufflation of varying duration in healthy cats during ovariectomy (OVE).

Study Design: Prospective, randomized study.

Animals: Female cats (n = 24).

Associations between 'valentine' heart shape, atrial enlargement and cardiomyopathy in cats.

'Valentine' heart shape is a common qualifier used in veterinary radiology to describe a cardiac silhouette with focal enlargement at the level of the base of the heart in feline patients. Anecdotally, this sign has been thought to be related to biatrial enlargement and also to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, to our knowledge, there has been no study performed to assess the association between cardiac chamber enlargement and cardiac disease with the 'valentine'-shaped heart.

Double-outlet right atrium in a 9 year-old cat.

Double-outlet right atrium (DORA) is a type of atrioventricular septal defect that is described as an extreme leftward deviation of the lower portion of the interatrial septum, resulting in insertion into the atrial wall left and posterior to the mitral orifice. This rare anomaly, which has been reported in humans and only just recently in cats, was identified by transthoracic echocardiography in a 9 year-old cat that was presented for further evaluation of a tachyarrhythmia and cardiomegaly. This case report describes the diagnostic findings in this cat and summarizes the anatomy, classification and clinical consequences of this rare congenital heart defect.

Rhabdomyosarcoma associated with the lead wire of a pacemaker generator implant.

An 11-year-old female spayed Labrador Retriever was presented for a draining, painful subcutaneous mass palpated over a previously implanted pacemaker generator. Infection was suspected and the mass was removed surgically. On cut surface, the mass was friable and mottled tan to brown with firm pale tan nodules, surrounding the pacemaker lead wire adjacent to the pacemaker generator.

The effect of topical ophthalmic 1% atropine on heart rate and rhythm in normal dogs.

Objective: To determine if topically administered ophthalmic atropine affects heart rate or rhythm in clinically normal dogs.

Methods: Two groups of 15 healthy dogs were evaluated, one consisting of dogs weighing <15 kg, the other consisting of dogs weighing >15 kg. Each dog was suited with a Holter monitor.

Computed tomography angiography of coarctation of the aorta in a dog.

Coarctation of the aorta has been described previously as either a post-mortem or angiographic finding in three dogs with clinical signs related to the aortic coarctation. A 10-year-old dog was presented for evaluation of suspected laryngeal paralysis. On physical examination, femoral pulses were absent bilaterally, with an indirect systolic blood pressure difference of 60 mmHg between the ipsilateral thoracic and pelvic limbs.

Pharmacokinetics of oral dichloroacetate in dogs.

We characterized the pharmacokinetics and dynamics of dichloroacetate (DCA), an investigational drug for mitochondrial diseases, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and cancer. Adult Beagle dogs were orally administered 6.25 mg/kg q12h DCA for 4 weeks.

Echocardiographic evaluation of clinically healthy Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris).

Antemortem studies pertaining to the manatee cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary systems are limited despite reports of cardiac disease in postmortem specimens. The objective of this project was to develop a technique for echocardiography in the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris). Because of their unique anatomy, a ventral approach was employed by use of an echocardiography table designed specifically for this study.

Procedure times, complication rates, and survival times associated with single-chamber versus dual-chamber pacemaker implantation in dogs with clinical signs of bradyarrhythmia: 54 cases (2004-2009).

Objective: To compare procedure times and major and minor complication rates associated with single-chamber versus dual-chamber pacemaker implantation and with 1-lead, 2-lead, and 3-lead pacemaker implantation in dogs with clinical signs of bradyarrhythmia.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 54 dogs that underwent pacemaker implantation because of clinical signs of bradyarrhythmia.

How to perform combined cutting balloon and high pressure balloon valvuloplasty for dogs with subaortic stenosis.

Subvalvular aortic stenosis (SAS) is one of the most common congenital cardiac malformations in dogs. Unfortunately, the long term success rate and survival data following either open heart surgery or catheter based intervention has been disappointing in dogs with severe subaortic stenosis. Medical therapy is currently the only standard recommended treatment option.

Assessment of cardiac output measurement in dogs by transpulmonary pulse contour analysis.

Objective: To determine if metatarsal artery pressure (COmet) is comparable to femoral artery pressure (COfem) as the input for transpulmonary pulse contour analysis (PiCCO) in anesthetized dogs, using the lithium dilution method (LiDCO) as a standard for cardiac output (CO) measurement.

Design: Prospective randomized study.

Setting: University research laboratory.

Computed tomography angiography of bilateral peripheral pulmonary arterial stenoses in a dog.

Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) is a useful diagnostic modality that is becoming more widely available in veterinary medicine. Its three-dimensional imaging capabilities allow a template for planning surgical procedures, accurate lesion measurements, and it is considerably less expensive than other comparable modalities. Selective CTA is described here, in a case of canine bilateral peripheral pulmonary artery stenoses.

Successful closure of left-to-right patent ductus arteriosus in three dogs with concurrent pulmonary hypertension.

Closure of reversed patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is generally accepted to be contraindicated due to case based evidence of worsened outcomes, but little is known about closure of left-to-right PDA with concurrent pulmonary hypertension (PH). This report describes three dogs presenting with varying severity of PH and clinical signs, all with documented left-to-right PDA. The PDA was closed in each case; either by surgical ligation or transarterial device occlusion, and follow up was available for a minimum of 8 months.

Evaluation of pacing site in dogs with naturally occurring complete heart block.

Objective: To compare left ventricular synchronization and systolic performance with transvenous pacing of the right ventricular apex (RVA), left ventricular free wall (LVF) or simultaneous pacing of the RVA and LVF (BiV).

Animals, Materials And Methods: Seven canine patients with complete heart block. Prospective study evaluating effect of pacing site.

Intracardiac foreign body in a dog.

A dog that was referred to the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Center was discovered to have a bamboo skewer within the right atrium and right ventricle, traversing the tricuspid valve. The skewer was ingested approximately four months prior to referral and was partially removed via gastrotomy. The presenting complaint at the time of referral included coagulopathy, anemia and leukocytosis.

Effect of routine cardiovascular catheterization on cardiac troponin I concentration in dogs.

Objective: To determine changes in cardiac troponin I concentration (cTnI) associated with cardiovascular catheterization in dogs.

Animals, Materials And Methods: cTnI was measured after transarterial coil embolization of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), balloon valvuloplasty (BV), and pacemaker implantation (PACE). Dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy (OHE) were used as a control, with 15 animals in each group.

Evaluation of the effects of transvenous pacing site on left ventricular function and synchrony in healthy anesthetized dogs.

OBJECTIVE-To compare the acute effects of cardiac pacing from various transvenous pacing sites on left ventricular (LV) function and synchrony in clinically normal dogs. ANIMALS-10 healthy adult mixed-breed dogs. PROCEDURES-Dogs were anesthetized, and dual-chamber transvenous biventricular pacing systems were implanted.

Safety and feasibility of transesophageal pacing in a dog.

This study investigated the feasibility of using a modified transesophageal atrial pacing system for dogs requiring temporary ventricular pacing. Atrial pacing was readily achieved in the one dog studied, but it caused considerable diaphragmatic movement. Ventricular pacing could not be achieved at any lead configuration or energy stimulation.

Cardiac evaluation of anesthetized Grevy's zebras (Equus grevyi).

Objective: To determine ECG and echocardiographic measurements in healthy anesthetized Grevy's zebras (Equus grevyi).

Animals: 20 healthy zebras.

Procedures: Auscultation, base-apex ECG, and echocardiography were performed on anesthetized zebras.

Calculation of stenotic valve area.

Calculation of stenotic valve area can aide in the determination of the severity of the lesion. While use of Doppler derived pressure gradients are widely used and easily interpreted, certain situations may make these measurements less reliable. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the technique for measuring the stenotic valve area and illustrate situations where this added information may be of diagnostic benefit.