Arrhythmias in Canine Cardiomyopathies and Valvular Heart Disease

Electrocardiographic Abnormalities in Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy and their Management

“…Normal breeds were considered positive with cut-off value greater than 100 ventricular premature complexes over 24 h, while in Boxers and Dobermans it is greater than 300 ventricular premature complexes over 24 h (Wess et al, 2017;Wess, 2022). In the present study ventricular bigeminy was also noticed in one case, which is a repetitive sequence of one normal beat and one ectopic beat (Wess and Torti, 2018). Several oral drugs were reportedly effective in the management of ventricular arrhythmias which include sotalol, mexiletine, lidocaine etc.…”

“…Calcium channel blockers are well tolerated, whereas beta-blockers have limitations in cases with decompensated congestive heart failure. Diltiazem is a calcium channel blocker as well as class IV antiarrhythmic agent that slows AV conduction, whereas digoxin exhibits its antiarrhythmic effect through sympathetic inhibition and parasympathomimetic effects (Wess and Torti, 2018). Combination of these two drugs will have a prominent negative chronotropic effect and rate control when compared with either of them individually (Gelzer et al, 2009) and are very effective in controlling atrial fibrillation.…”

“…Ventricular premature complexes are the ectopic beats produced due to spontaneous depolarisation of an ectopic pacemaker in ventricular myocardium (Wess and Torti, 2018), which can be seen in some healthy dogs with a rate less than 50 ventricular premature complexes over 24 h. In DCM the cut-off value recommended for diagnosis based on VPC varies with the breeds. Normal breeds were considered positive with cut-off value greater than 100 ventricular premature complexes over 24 h, while in Boxers and Dobermans it is greater than 300 ventricular premature complexes over 24 h (Wess et al, 2017;Wess, 2022).…”