Survival and prognostic factors in 189 dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy

A survival analysis was performed using the case records of 189 dogs, including 38 breeds, with congestive heart failure caused by dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Overall prognosis was poor, with survival rates of 17.5% at one year and 7.5% at two years. Prognosis in the individual case of DCM proved to be difficult to predict at the time of initial examination. Only three of 27 tested independent predictors of survival were identified. The most significant predictive variables were age at onset of clinical signs, followed by dyspnea and ascites (as noted on the physical examination).