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Inherited Heart Diseases

Dilated cardiomyopathy is the most commonly reported inherited heart disease in dogs. It is a primary disease of the heart muscle that causes the left ventricle to dilate and pumping function to decrease over time. This can lead to fluid in the lungs, arrhythmias, and even sudden death in some dogs. The diagnosis is suspected based on heart murmurs or gallops heard on examination and confirmed with echocardiogram. Annual echocardiograms and Holter monitoring are recommended for certain at-risk breeds to detect early signs of dilated cardiomyopathy.

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Alec Palcon Joven
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54 views8 pages

Inherited Heart Diseases

Dilated cardiomyopathy is the most commonly reported inherited heart disease in dogs. It is a primary disease of the heart muscle that causes the left ventricle to dilate and pumping function to decrease over time. This can lead to fluid in the lungs, arrhythmias, and even sudden death in some dogs. The diagnosis is suspected based on heart murmurs or gallops heard on examination and confirmed with echocardiogram. Annual echocardiograms and Holter monitoring are recommended for certain at-risk breeds to detect early signs of dilated cardiomyopathy.

Uploaded by

Alec Palcon Joven
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

INHERITED HEART

DISEASES
DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY
• The most commonly reported inherited adult onset
canine heart disease is dilated cardiomyopathy.

• Dilated cardiomyopathy is an adult onset, primary heart


muscle disease.

• The onset of DCM results in the development of a dilated left


ventricle with decreased systolic (pumping) function.
DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY
• Eventually, this may lead to increased pressure in the chamber above the
ventricle, the atria.
• Increased atrial pressure can result in the development of fluid in the lungs
called pulmonary edema (congestive heart failure) which may make it
difficult for the dog to breathe properly.
• Some dogs develop an abnormality in the electrical system of the heart
(arrhythmia) which results in abnormal heart beats; this may result in
sudden death.

* The development of clinical signs (heart failure, sudden death) may vary
depending on the affected breed of dogs.
DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY Dx

• The diagnosis of DCM in affected dogs is first suspected when a


heart murmur or gallop is heard with a stethoscope by a
veterinarian.

• Murmurs and gallops are fairly nonspecific sounds


that suggest that a dog may have heart disease.
DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY Dx

Other signs may include the development of ;


• persistent cough (Doberman Pinschers),
• increased fluid in the abdomen (Great Danes)
• and fainting episodes (Boxers, Doberman Pinschers).

 Further evaluation with a cardiac ultrasound (echocardiogram,


echo) should be performed as soon as possible to confirm the
diagnosis.
DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY Dx

Other signs may include the development of ;


• persistent cough (Doberman Pinschers),
• increased fluid in the abdomen (Great Danes)
• and fainting episodes (Boxers, Doberman Pinschers).

 Further evaluation with a cardiac ultrasound (echocardiogram,


echo) should be performed as soon as possible to confirm the
diagnosis.
DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY Dx
• Annual echocardiography and
ambulatory electrocardiography
(Holter monitoring) are believed to be
the best predictors of early DCM in
this breed.

• Criteria that are believed to be indicators


of early disease include left ventricular
size (left ventricular diastolic dimension
> 4.6 cm, systolic dimension > 3.8 cm).

• These numbers are based on average DOBERMAN PINSCHER


sized dogs and may not be valid for very
large dogs.
DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY Dx
• Annual Holter monitoring has also
been recommended to detect
Doberman pinschers that may
develop ventricular arrhythmias
before ventricular dilation.

• Adult Doberman pinschers with


greater than 50 ventricular
premature complexes (VPCs) per
24 hours, or couplets or triplets DOBERMAN PINSCHER
are suspect for the development
of DCM

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