Exercise training of dogs with myxomatous valve disease

Abstract

The present study has the objective of evaluating the effects of exercise training, using moderate intensity walking (60 to 80% of maximum heart rate), from 30 to 50 minutes, three times a week, in alternate days, during eight weeks, on heart rate variability in dogs with myxomatous valve disease (MVD). For that, 20 dogs in stages B1 (1), B2 (14) and C2 (5) of MVD (ACVIM classification) were divided into untrained control group (CG, n=9) and training group (TG, n=11), and assessed at baseline (T0), after four (T1) and eight weeks (T2). Only one B1 and five B2 dogs completed the training program. In the time domain, the rMSSD was greater in TG in T1 (155,5+42,07) and T2 (199,8+83,54) than CG (T1:91,17+35,79 and T2:88,17+57,51). In the frequency domain, the variable High Frequency (HF) increased in TG in T1 (30950+25810) and T2 (40300+33870) when compared to the CG (T1:19090+23210 and T2:18810+22200) and within the group TG in T2 in relation to T0 (29340+20950). The proposed walking protocol is concluded to have increased the rMSSD and HF variables in TG, representing an increase of the parasympathetic tonus, justifying the indication of this therapy in B1 and B2 stages of MVD.

Clinical use of submaximal treadmill exercise testing and assessments of cardiac biomarkers NT-proBNP and cTnI in dogs with presymptomatic mitral regurgitation

“…Still, it has been shown, that resting values of NT-proBNP vary between different breeds and also within an individual [ 47 ]. Also, baseline values decrease with initiation of exercise training [ 16 , 17 ]. For these reasons, assessing post-exercise NT-proBNP could gain similar important diagnostic and prognostic value as in human cardiac patients [ 5 , 7 ].…”

“…As quality of life is also dependent on exercise performance, an ET could also provide valuable information on how the impact of cardiac medication can be evaluated, for instance if exercise-induced increase of CB can be reduced and if it improves or at least maintains exercise tolerance in dogs with presymptomatic MR (CHIEF B1). Also, it could be used as an improved and objective method to monitor the efficacy of a training program on exercise tolerance, which has been used as an adjunctive therapy to cardiac medication [ 16 , 17 ].…”

“…Being chronically activated in heart failure patients, these mechanisms do not function as effective as in healthy dogs, leading to worse adjustment to exercise and thus exercise intolerance [ 15 ]. This autonomic balance can be (partially) restored by exercise training as an adjuvant therapy [ 16 , 17 ]. In human patients, stress echocardiography has been shown to be helpful in clinical decision-making [ 2 ].…”

Degeneração mixomatosa de valva mitral em cães: Revisão

“…Uma possibilidade para retardar a progressão nessas fases é a promoção de atividades físicas regulares aos pacientes como forma de incrementar o tônus parassimpático, tendo em vista que conforme há o avanço no estadiamento, o sistema nervoso simpático tende a ser ativado, de modo promover alterações maléficas (Sabbah, 2012;Valandro et al, 2017). Já no estágio B2, onde já há aumento significativo de átrio esquerdo, recomenda-se a administração de Pimobendan, um inotrópico positivo que atua pouco sobre a fosfodiesterase III, promove maior interação entre o cálcio intracelular e a troponina C, incrementando a capacidade contrátil dos cardiomiócitos e inibe a fosfodiesterase V, resultando na vasodilatação (Keene et al, 2019;Spinosa et al, 2006).…”