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BackgroundRight ventricular (RV) enlargement and dysfunction are associated with prognosis in humans with pulmonary hypertension (PH).Hypothesis/ObjectivesTo assess RV size and systolic function in dogs with PH and to determine if they are associated with disease severity and right‐sided congestive heart failure (R‐CHF).Animals89 dogs with PH and 74 healthy dogs.MethodsProspective observational study. PH was classified according to the tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient. RV end‐diastolic area (RVEDA) index was calculated as RVEDA divided by body surface area. RV systolic function was assessed with the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and the RV fractional area change (FAC) normalized for body weight (TAPSEn and FACn, respectively).ResultsRVEDA index was higher in dogs with moderate PH (10.8 cm2/m2; range, 6.2‐14.4 cm2/m2) and severe PH (12.4 cm2/m2; range, 7.7‐21.4 cm2/m2) than in those with mild PH (8.4 cm2/m2; range, 4.8‐11.6 cm2/m2) and control dogs (8.5 cm2/m2; range, 2.8‐11.6 cm2/m2; P < .001). RVEDA index was significantly higher in dogs with R‐CHF (13.7 cm2/m2; range, 11.0‐21.4 cm2/m2) than in dogs without R‐CHF (9.4 cm2/m2; range, 4.8‐17.1 cm2/m2; P < .001). The severity of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) was the only independent predictor of the RVEDA index (P < .001). TAPSEn and FACn were not significantly different among varying degrees of PH severity and between dogs with and without R‐CHF.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceThe RVEDA index can be used to evaluate RV size in dogs. It can provide additional information in dogs with PH and predict R‐CHF. Severity of TR is the main determinant of RV enlargement in dogs with PH.

The diagnostic accuracy of a smartphone electrocardiograph (ECG) in evaluating heart rhythm and ECG measurements was evaluated in 166 dogs. A standard 6-lead ECG was acquired for 1 min in each dog. A smartphone ECG tracing was simultaneously recorded using a single-lead bipolar ECG recorder. All ECGs were reviewed by one blinded operator, who judged if tracings were acceptable for interpretation and assigned an electrocardiographic diagnosis. Agreement between smartphone and standard ECG in the interpretation of tracings was evaluated. Sensitivity and specificity for the detection of arrhythmia were calculated for the smartphone ECG. Smartphone ECG tracings were interpretable in 162/166 (97.6%) tracings. A perfect agreement between the smartphone and standard ECG was found in detecting bradycardia, tachycardia, ectopic beats and atrioventricular blocks. A very good agreement was found in detecting sinus rhythm versus non-sinus rhythm (100% sensitivity and 97.9% specificity). The smartphone ECG provided tracings that were adequate for analysis in most dogs, with an accurate assessment of heart rate, rhythm and common arrhythmias. The smartphone ECG represents an additional tool in the diagnosis of arrhythmias in dogs, but is not a substitute for a 6-lead ECG. Arrhythmias identified by the smartphone ECG should be followed up with a standard ECG before making clinical decisions. The study was not supported by a grant. Abbreviations: HR, heart rate; App HR, heart rate automatically measured by the 19 smartphone application; AVB, atrioventricular block; QTc, corrected QT interval. evaluating heart rhythm and ECG measurements in dogs. 24Design-Prospective, multicenter, single-blind study. 25Animals-166 client-owned dogs. 26Procedures-A standard 6-lead ECG was acquired for 1 minute in each dog. A smartphone 27 ECG tracing was simultaneously recorded using a single-lead bipolar ECG recorder. All was found in detecting arrhythmias, with a 100% sensitivity and 97.9% specificity. 36Conclusions and clinical relevance-The smartphone ECG provides tracings that are 37 adequate for analysis in most dogs with a reliable assessment of heart rate, heart rhythm,

Objectives The aims of the study were to describe the radiographic and computed tomographic features in cats naturally infected with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, and to identify signs of pulmonary hypertension with echocardiography. Methods Fourteen cats positive on Baermann test for A abstrusus were included in the study. All cats underwent thoracic radiography, CT and echocardiography. Results The most common clinical signs were coughing (10/14) and dyspnoea (5/14). Radiographic findings included a generalised unstructured interstitial pulmonary pattern (8/14), mixed bronchointerstitioalveolar pattern (3/14) and bronchointerstitial pattern with bronchial wall thickening (3/14). Sternal lymphadenopathy was detected on thoracic radiographs in six cats. On CT, features were mixed bronchointerstitioalveolar pattern with ground-glass appearance in six cats, interstitioalveolar with multiple pulmonary nodules in five, interstitial ground-glass infiltrates in three, regional lymph node enlargement in 11 (10 sternal, three cranial mediastinal and three tracheobronchial lymph nodes) and subpleural thickening in four. None of the thoracic radiographs revealed subpleural thickening. In all cases, pulmonary vessels were normal in terms of size, shape and attenuation on both radiography and CT. Pulmonary hypertension and cardiac abnormalities were not observed in any cat during echocardiography. Conclusions and relevance CT provided a more thorough characterisation of pulmonary and mediastinal lesions compared with thoracic radiographs in cats naturally infected with A abstrusus. Although feline aelurostrongylosis has been previously associated with histopathological lesions in lung arteries, in this cohort clinical evidence of pulmonary hypertension was not documented.

Background: There is no commonly shared severity score for myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) based on routinely acquired echocardiographic variables. Hypothesis/Objectives:To propose an easy-to-use echocardiographic classification of severity of MMVD in dogs.Animals: Five hundred and sixty dogs with MMVD.Methods: This was a retrospective, multicenter, observational study. The proposed Mitral INsufficiency Echocardiographic (MINE) score was based on 4 echocardiographic variables: left atrium-to-aorta ratio, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter normalized for body weight, fractional shortening, and E-wave transmitral peak velocity. Specific echocardiographic cutoffs were defined based on previous prognostic studies on MMVD, and severity scores were assigned as follows: mild (score: 4-5), moderate (score: 6-7), severe (score: 8-12), late stage (score: 13-14).Results: Median survival time was significantly different (P < .05) between the proposed severity classes: mild (2344 days, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1877-2810 days), moderate (1882 days, 95% CI 1341-2434 days), severe (623 days, 95% CI 432-710 days), and late stage (157 days, 95% CI 53-257 days). A MINE score >8 was predictive of cardiac death (area under the curve = 0.85; P < .0001; sensitivity 87%, specificity 73%). In the multivariable analysis, all the echocardiographic variables of the MINE score were independent predictors of death because of heart disease (P < .001). Conclusions and Clinical Importance:The MINE score is a new easy-to-use echocardiographic classification of severity of MMVD, which has been proven to be clinically effective as it is associated with survival. This classification provides prognostic information and could be useful for an objective echocardiographic assessment of MMVD.