What disease accounts for 75% of cardiac cases in North America?
MMVD
What signalment of dog is more commonly affected with MMVD?
Males (1.5x), less than 20kg (85% show valve lesions by age 13)
What changes lead to progressive deformation of the valve structure in MMVD?
Dysregulation of the extracellular matrix
- Changes in collagen content and alignment of collagen fibrils
- Expansion of the spongiosa layer with changes in proteoglycans
Valvular interstitial cells aquire properties of activated myofibroblasts => increase in proteolytic enzymes (MMPs), which degrade collagen and elastin
What factors are moderately predictive of MMVD progression and can help identify dogs at risk for heart failure?
What does the term heart failure refer to?
Clinical signs caused by heart dysfunction
What is “backward” heart failure?
What is “forward” heart failure?
What is stage A MMVD?
Dogs at high risk for developing heart disease, but have no identifiable structural abnormalities (i.e. all Cavies without heart murmurs)
What is stage B MMVD?
Dogs with structural heart disease (murmur, etc) that have never developed clinical signs of heart failure
What is stage B1 MMVD?
Asymptomatic dogs with no radiographic or echocardiographic evidence of cardiac remodeling OR remodeling is present but mild (does not need criteria for treatment)
What is stage B2 MMVD?
What is stage C MMVD?
Dogs with current or past clinical signs of heart failure
What is stage D MMVD?
Dogs with end-stage MMVD - clinical signs of CHF are refractory to standard treatment and required advanced or specialized treatment strategies
How should patients with stage A MMVD be monitored?
Yearly physical examination with cardiac auscultation
If a murmur is identified during a routine examination, what diagnostics are always recommended?
When should an echocardiogram be repeated in dogs with MMVD stage B1?
6-12 months (potentially more frequent in large breed dogs, as the disease progresses faster)
What are the criteria for meeting MMVD stage B2?
How is the vertebral left atrial score measured?
What are the treatment recommendations for MMVD stage B2?
What two medications are currently not recommended for MMVD B2 patients?
Beta blockers, spironolactone - evidence is lacking
Name 3 potential complications of chronic mitral regurgitation
What dose of furosemide should be given to a hospitalized patient with CHF? When should it be repeated?
When should a furosemide CRI (1mg/kg/hr) be considered after the initial 2mg/kg bolus?
Life threatening pulmonary edema
- Expectoration of froth with severe dyspnea
- Radiographic “white out”
- Poor response to the initial furosemide bolus
Apart from furosemide, what other treatments are recommended for hospitalized patients with CHF?