Title

Vertebral heart size in retired racing greyhounds

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-8261.2007.00252.x

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2007

Publication Title

Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound

Abstract

The vertebral heart size (VHS) is used to objectively assess cardiac dimensions on thoracic radiographs. A high VHS suggest the presence of cardiac pathology, such as dilated cardiomyopathy, degenerative atrioventricular valvular disease, pericardial effusion, pericardioperitoneal diaphragmatic hernia, tricuspid dysplasia, ventricular septal defect, or patent ductus arteriosus, among others. However, breed or body conformation can influence the VHS. Because Greyhounds have a high prevalence of physiologic systolic murmurs associated with high aortic velocity, and large cardiac dimensions when compared with dogs of similar size, they are frequently suspected of having heart disease. The purpose of this study was to compare the VHS in normal Greyhounds with those in Rottweilers, and a group of dogs from various other breeds using both analog and digital radiology. The VHS was significantly higher in Greyhounds (P<0.0001), when compared with Rottweilers and to other dog breeds. The mean VHS on lateral radiographs for Greyhounds was 10.5±0.1, for Rottweilers it was 9.8±0.1, and for mixed breed dogs it was 10.1±0.2. This study confirms that the relative cardiomegaly reported in necropsy and echocardiographic studies in Greyhounds is easily detected using plain radiography and the VHS. © Copyright 2007 by the American College of Veterinary Radiology.

Volume

48

Issue

4

First Page

332

Last Page

334

ISSN

10588183

Identifier

SCOPUS_ID:34547237686

Documento original

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