Omega‐3 Fatty Acids in Boxer Dogs with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Background: Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce arrhythmia in animal models and people. These effects have not been studied in dogs with spontaneously occurring arrhythmia.Hypothesis: Fish oil will reduce the frequency of ventricular arrhythmia in Boxer dogs with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC).Animals: Twenty-four Boxers with ARVC were included in this study. Methods: Asymptomatic Boxers not receiving antiarrhythmic medications were evaluated with echocardiogram and electrocardiogram. Dogs with at least 1 ventricular premature contraction (VPC) received 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography (AECG) recordings. Dogs with .95 VPCs in 24 hours were randomized to 1 of 3 treatments: (1) Fish oil, 2 g; (2) Flax oil, 2 g; or (3) sunflower oil, 2 g (Control group), for 6 weeks. Investigators and owners were blinded to the treatment groups. All baseline measurements were repeated after the 6-week supplementation.Results: There were no differences at baseline for age, sex, blood pressure, weight, echocardiographic measurements, or VPCs. Median number of VPCs in 24 hours for all dogs was 543 (range, 96-40,063) at baseline and 193 (range, 6-14,825) after 6 weeks of supplementation. VPCs/24 h were reduced for the Fish oil group (baseline median 5 397 [range, 249-10,587]; 6-week median 5 162 [range, 16-3,781]; P 5 .02), but not for the Flax oil (P 5 .58) or Control (P 5 .48) groups.Conclusions and Clinical Importance: These data suggest that fish oil, but not flax oil, supplementation for 6 weeks reduces arrhythmia in Boxers with ARVC and that it could be useful in treating this common disease. Further studies are needed to determine optimal dose and duration of treatment.

Avaliação de colesterol e triglicerídeos séricos em cães saudáveis suplementados com ômega n-3

“…Moema, 678, Moema, São Paulo), contendo por unidade 221,83mg de EPA e 136,17mg de DHA, por animal. A dose foi estabelecida com base em estudos prévios com ômega 3 em cães (Freeman et al, 1998;Smith et al, 2007). Os cães receberam a suplementação com ômega 3 diariamente, pela manhã.…”

Current treatment strategies in the management of canine dysrhythmias

“…Fatty acid administration has also been shown to be useful in reducing the frequency of ventricular ectopy in some boxers (Smith and others 2007, 2008) and, therefore, may be a useful adjunctive therapy.…”

Nutritional Support of Dogs and Cats after Surgery or Illness

“…Omega-3 fatty acids decrease muscle loss in dogs with chronic heart failure and improve appetite [70]. Omega-3 fatty acids also are beneficial in animals with atopic dermatitis, [71] osteoarthritis, [72] [73] cancer, [74] errors in lipid metabolism, [75] cardiac disease, [76] [77] kidney disease, [78] and ulcerative colitis [79]. The therapeutic use of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and fish oils has recently been reviewed [80].…”