Clinical and cardiologic assessment of Anatolian shepherd dogs with asymptomatic degenerative mitral valve disease

Abstract

Degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) is the leading cause of cardiac disease and heart failure in the dog. Advanced age, breed and male gender are well-known risk factors for DMVD. The incidence of the disease in German Shepherds seems to be noteworthy. Early diagnosis of DMVD is related to the identification of a left apical systolic murmur, characteristic of MR in a dog. Dogs with DMVD had a low frequency of arrhythmias compared to other cardiac conditions. The goal of the study was (i) to evaluate the age and gender incidences of the asymptomatic Anatolian Shepherd Dogs (ASHs) with DMVD and, (ii) to investigate the importance of its clinical, radiological, electrocardiographic (ECG) findings and the correlations of those with some echo cardio logical measurements. 35 healthy ASHs (control group) and 38 ASHs with DMVD (experimental group) were used as the materials. The severity of cardiac disease was classified according to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) consensus statement. Thirty two dogs (84.2%) were males and 6 dogs (15.8%) were females in the experimental group. The median age, the intensity of heart murmur and the severity of mitral regurgitation (MR) of the B2 dogs were bigger (p <0.05) than that of the B1 dogs. There was a positive correlation (P<0.05) between age and mitral valve lesions (MVLs). The clinical examination assessed by cardiac auscultation (murmur) was not correlated to MVLs, VHS, ECG findings and ARJ/LAA (P>0.05). The intensity of murmur was correlated to left ventricle to aorta ratio (LA/Ao) and it was not correlated (P>0.05) to MVLs, vertebral heart scale (VHS), ECG findings and regurgitant jet area to LA area ratio (ARJ/LAA). The correlations between ECG findings and VHS, along with, LA/Ao and ARJ/LAA were positive (P <0.05). In conclusion, aging and male gender may have a significant impact on DMVD progression in ASHs. Assessment of higher murmur in group B2 might be related to the progressive severity of the illnesses. The prevalence of arrhythmia was low in asymptomatic ASHs with DMVD. P-mitrale was noteworthy.