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Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in an aged dog
Makoto Washizu1, Naoyuki Takemura, Noboru Machida
1Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Nippon Veterinary and Animal Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science
|July 18, 2003
Summary
A Yorkshire terrier diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy showed thickened heart valves and outflow obstruction. Despite significant cardiac changes, the dog did not develop heart failure during the observation period.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Cardiology
- Canine Pathology
Background:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a primary cardiac disease in cats, but less common in dogs.
- Clinical presentation of HCM in dogs can vary, often including cardiac murmur and potentially neurological signs like seizures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the echocardiographic and pathological findings of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a canine patient.
- To correlate clinical signs with cardiac structural abnormalities in a case of canine HCM.
Main Methods:
- Echocardiography was used for serial cardiac assessments, including valve function and ventricular dimensions.
- Pathological examination of the heart was performed post-mortem to identify morphological hallmarks of HCM.
Main Results:
- Echocardiography revealed thickened mitral valve, left atrial enlargement, abnormal left ventricular (LV) wall motion, and multiple valve regurgitations.
- Follow-up showed progressive concentric LV hypertrophy and LV outflow obstruction, without clinical signs of cardiac failure.
- Pathology confirmed massive ventricular hypertrophy, disorganized cardiac muscle, fibrosis, and abnormal intramural coronary arteries, consistent with HCM.
Conclusions:
- This case highlights the potential for significant cardiac remodeling and outflow obstruction in canine hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- Despite severe echocardiographic findings, clinical cardiac failure was not observed during the monitoring period in this Yorkshire terrier.