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Category: Articles


Boxer dog cardiomyopathy: an update by Kathryn M. Meurs, DVM, PhD

Posted by janetOlson in Articles. Comments Off on Boxer dog cardiomyopathy: an update by Kathryn M. Meurs, DVM, PhD

4th September

Vet Clin Small Anim 34 (2004) 1235–1244

Dr. Neil Harpster first described myocardial disease in the Boxer dog in the early 1980s. It was characterized as a degenerative myocardial disease with unique right ventricular histologic findings that include myocyte atrophy and fatty infiltration [1,2]. Affected dogs could be asymptomatic or syncopal with ventricular arrhythmias, and they sometimes developed congestive heart failure. The disease seemed to have a greater prevalence in certain families of dogs. In the early 1990s, Dr. Bruce Keene described a family of Boxers with myocardial dysfunction, tachyarrhythmias and congestive heart failure, and decreased myocardial carnitine levels [3]. For the full article, click on the title: Boxer dog cardiomyopathy: an update by Kate Meurs.2004


Efficacy of Pimobendan in the Prevention of Congestive Heart Failure or Sudden Death in Doberman Pinschers with Preclinical Dilated Cardiomyopathy (The PROTECT Study)

Posted by janetOlson in Articles. Comments Off on Efficacy of Pimobendan in the Prevention of Congestive Heart Failure or Sudden Death in Doberman Pinschers with Preclinical Dilated Cardiomyopathy (The PROTECT Study)

12th August

J Vet Intern Med 2012;26:1337–1349

N.J. Summerfield, A. Boswood, M.R. O’Grady, S.G. Gordon, J. Dukes-McEwan, M.A. Oyama, S. Smith, M. Patteson, A.T. French, G.J. Culshaw, L. Braz-Ruivo, A. Estrada, M.L. O’Sullivan, J. Loureiro, R. Willis, and P. Watson

Background: The benefit of pimobendan in delaying the progression of preclinical dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in Dobermans is not reported.                                                                                                                                                               Hypothesis: That chronic oral administration of pimobendan … Read More »


Heart Disease in Cats: What’s up with that?

Posted by janetOlson in Articles. Comments Off on Heart Disease in Cats: What’s up with that?

9th August

Heart Disease in Cats: What’s up with that?
by Dr. Janet Olson, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)

Cardiology for cats is tough. Most of the cardiology we, as veterinarians have learned, pertains primarily to dogs, or is out-dated in regards to the best practice for cats. Unlike dogs, we can not “breed profile” to help us determine if a cat is likely to have heart disease and if so, what type. So here are a few pointers to help you out in your practice.

Golden Rules

Cats can have heart murmurs without any cardiac disease (physiologic in nature) – Yay!
Cats may have significant heart disease without the presence of a murmur or an arrhythmia – making it tough to diagnose – boo!
Any cat with pleural effusion has heart disease until proven otherwise
Cardiogenic pulmonary edema often takes on a ventral distribution in the chest vs the typical … Read More »