Dachshunds are affected by chronic mitral valve disease (CMVD) which is the most often heart disease in dogs. CMVD develops mainly in small animals, but in chondrodystrophic breeds is more common. Dachshunds are predisposed to develop mitral valve prolapse (MVP) which is a systolic displacement of one or both mitral leaflets beyond the mitral valve annulus. The MVP is associated with marked sinus arrhythmia in Dachshunds. The hypothesis is that adult healthy Dachshund dogs are predisposed to exhibit MVP before mitral regurgitation. We performed a prospective study with client-owned animals that were screened by physical examination, thoracic radiography, electrocardiography, systolic blood pressure measurement, echocardiography, and laboratory tests (CBC, biochemical blood urea, and creatinine). A complete echocardiographic examination with electrocardiogram monitoring was performed. We enrolled 69 Dachshund healthy dogs (28 [40.6%] males and 41 [59.4%] females); from 18 months to 10 years-old, weighting 8.4±2.3 kg. No heart diseases were observed, including mitral regurgitation. Mild MVP was present in 28 (40.58%). Of these, 24 (85.71%) with sinus arrhythmia, 3 (10.71%) with normal sinus rhythm and 1 (3.57%) with sinus tachycardia. In addition, those with sinus arrhythmia, 17 (70.83% with mild) and 7 (29.16% with marked) sinus arrhythmia. Therefore, healthy adult Dachshund dogs may present MVP associated with marked sinus arrhythmia that can be a predisposing factor to develop mitral regurgitation in the future.

Disclosures

No disclosures to report.