The most important Cardiac Diseases in Dogs and Cats

Question 1

Acquired:

Answer 1

more so in dogs than cats!

Dogs: cardiac valves diseases

Cats: myocardial diseases

Question 2

When do we have to consider that it may be a congenital heart disease that is present?

Answer 2

>grade 3 murmur present in YOUNG!! (less than 1 or 2)

Sudden death of newborn

Cyanosis

Dyspnoea

Cyanosis

Exercise intolerance

Retarded development

Exceptions:

• innocent/accidental murmurs in young
• Congenital HD in adults
• Acquired endocarditis/cardiomyopathy in young

Question 3

Diagnosis of congenital

Answer 3

Should be done at the first visit, nearly always a MURMUR present!!

Functional murmur: systolic, max grade 3, transient at base, caused by anaemia and disappears at 4-6 mnths usually

Patho murmur: point of max intensity, phremitus, often permanent (i.e not transient), timing and quality can determine the origin- systolic, diastolic or machinery type continuous

Question 4

What are the congenital diseases in dogs?

Answer 4

They only account for 1% of the cardiac cases

1. PDA= patent ductus arteriosus
2. Pulmonic stenosis
3. Aortic stenosis
4. VSD
5. Tricuspid dysplasia
6. Mitral dysplasia
7. tetralogy of fallot
8. PRAA
9. Atrial septal defect
10. PPDH

Question 5

Compens mechanism of the heart in the case of congenital heart diseases

Answer 5

HYPERTROPHY

P overload: concentric- thick wall and narrow lumen

Vol overload: eccentric- dilated lumen, wall can be thicker, normal or thinner

Question 6

Diseases causing P overload

Answer 6

The stenosis!

Aortic: LV hypertrophy

Pulmonic: RV hypertrophy

Question 7

Diseases causing vol overload

Answer 7

PDA: usually L

Mitral (L) and tricuspid (R) dysplasia

VSD either R or L (because the septum is in btw the 2)

Question 8

Aortic stenosis

Answer 8

Usually subvalvular

• dilation of the aorta
• Incr P in LA and LV
• Left ventricular hypertrophy
• Boxer, newfoundland, german shep, golden retriever, rottie, bull terriers, bernese mountain dogs
• Puppies up to old dogs
  
  • No sex predilection

Question 9

Mild, moderate and severe stenosis

Answer 9

peak gradients and velocity!

Question 10

Pulmonic stenosis

Answer 10

Usually valvular

• Dilated pulm a
• septal flattening
• incr P in RA and RV
• Right ventricular hypertrophy
• Boxer, english bulldog, scottish terrier, fox terrier, mini schnauzer, beagle
• Usually in young!
• treat with balloon valvuloplasty

Question 11

VSD

Answer 11

If it causes R-sided cardiac dilation-it is a large defect that is usually easy to detect

If it causes L-sided cardiac dilation then probably a small defect (usually below th eorigin of the Ao) and requires doppler for diagnosis!

Can turn into a R–L shunt causing cyanosis

Differential is PDA and this causes differential cyanosis

treat with catheter interventions

Question 12

Tetralogy of fallot

Answer 12

1. VSD
2. Pulmonic stenosis (PS)
3. Overriding Ao= aortic transposition/riding Ao
4. Consequence is RV hypertrophy

Aorta: Incr PCV, cyanosis

Collat flow btw the pum a and the Ao

Hypoperfusion of the puml a

Venous return to the LA

Treatment: catheter interventions