Background: M-mode is the echocardiographic gold standard to diagnose dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs, whereas Simpson's method of discs (SMOD) is the preferred method to detect echocardiographic evidence of disease in humans.Objectives: To establish reference values for SMOD and to compare those with M-mode measurements. Animals: Nine hundred and sixty-nine examinations of 471 Doberman Pinschers. Methods: Using a prospective longitudinal study design. Reference values for SMOD were established using 75 healthy Doberman Pinschers 48 years old with o50 ventricular premature contractions (VPCs) in 24 hours. The ability of the new SMOD cut-off values, normalized to body surface area (BSA), for left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV/BSA 495 mL/m 2 ) and end-systolic volume (LVESV/BSA 4 55 mL/m

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in Doberman Pinschers is an autosomal dominant inherited disease. The prevalence of DCM in Doberman Pinschers of various age groups in Europe is currently unknown, but this information would be important to develop recommendations for screening programs.Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of cardiomyopathy in various age groups of Dobermans. Animals: Seven hundred and seventy-five examinations in 412 Doberman Pinschers. Methods: Dogs were included in a prospective longitudinal cohort study. Each examination included echocardiography and 24-hour ECG (Holter) examination. A cut-off value of 4100 ventricular premature contractions (VPCs) per 24 hours on Holter examination or abnormal echocardiography was considered diagnostic for cardiomyopathy. The cumulative prevalence included all dogs with DCM and healthy dogs 47 years of age.Results: DCM prevalence in various age groups was as follows: age group 1 (1 to o2 years) 3.3%, age group 2 (2 to o4 years) 9.9%, age group 3 (4 to o6 years) 12.5%, age group 4 (6 to o8 years) 43.6%, and age group 5 (48 years) 44.1%. The cumulative prevalence of Doberman Pinscher cardiomyopathy was 58.2%. There was an equal sex distribution, but male dogs showed earlier echocardiographic changes than did female dogs, which had significantly more VPCs.Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The prevalence of Doberman cardiomyopathy is very high in Europe. Disease manifestation and progression are different between male and female dogs. Yearly screening for DCM by Holter examination and echocardiography is recommended, starting at 2 years of age.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a heterogeneous group of heart diseases with a strong genetic background. Currently, many human DCM cases exist where no causative mutation can be identified. DCM also occurs with high prevalence in several large dog breeds. In the Doberman Pinscher a specific DCM form characterized by arrhythmias and/or echocardiographic changes has been intensively studied by veterinary cardiologists. We performed a genome-wide association study in Doberman Pinschers. Using 71 cases and 70 controls collected in Germany we identified a genome-wide significant association to DCM on chromosome 5. We validated the association in an independent cohort collected in the United Kingdom. There is no known DCM candidate gene under the association signal. Therefore, DCM in Doberman Pinschers offers the chance of identifying a novel DCM gene that might also be relevant for human health.

Background: Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is useful for detection of cardiac myocyte damage, but its efficacy in detecting various stages of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in Doberman Pinschers is unclear.Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic value of cTnI in various stages of DCM in Dobermans. Animals: Six hundred and fifty-three cTnI measurements of 336 Doberman Pinschers. Methods: Using a longitudinal study design, staging of the disease was based upon 24-hour-ambulatory-ECG (Holter) and echocardiography. A total of 447 cTnI measurements were performed in 264 healthy Dobermans, and 206 cTnI measurements in 75 Dobermans with cardiomyopathy.

BackgroundHypothyroidism and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are both common diseases in Doberman Pinschers. A possible influence of hypothyroidism on the etiology and progression of DCM is controversial.ObjectivesEvaluation of the role of hypothyroidism in etiology and progression of DCM.AnimalsA total of 175 Doberman Pinschers.MethodsIn this longitudinal prospective study, echocardiography and 24‐hour ambulatory ECG recordings were performed in all dogs as screening tests for DCM. Total thyroxine (TT4) and thyroid ultrasonography served as initial screening tests for hypothyroidism and low TT4 values were followed up by a thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test or free total thyroxine (fT 4)/cTSH measurements. Additionally, a follow‐up study of dogs affected by both DCM and hypothyroidism under optimal treatment for hypothyroidism was conducted.ResultsA total of 107 dogs were healthy, 45 dogs had DCM, 11 hypothyroidism, and 12 dogs had both DCM and hypothyroidism. TT 4 values as well as the thyroid volumes were equivalent in the healthy dogs and in those with DCM. Neither ventricular premature complexes nor echocardiographic parameters differed between healthy and hypothyroid dogs. Dogs with DCM had a 2.26‐fold (CI0.95 = 1.1–4.8) higher risk of also being affected by hypothyroidism. Despite optimal thyroid treatment of dogs with hypothyroidism and DCM, there was a progression of the heart disease.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceThis study did not confirm a role of hypothyroidism in the etiology or progression of DCM. Treatment of hypothyroidism did not improve the clinical outcome.