Principal investigator: Karsten E. Schober, DVM, PhD, The Ohio State University

Morris Animal Health Foundation Study (D05CA-306) 

Completed

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a common and often fatal medical disorder in dogs. It causes fluid accumulation in the lungs with associated respiratory symptoms. Currently, chest radiography is considered the gold standard for diagnosing CHF in at-risk dogs. However, this method of diagnosis isn’t always completely accurate, particularly when the dog may have combined heart and lung disease. In addition, radiography exposes both veterinary personnel and canine patients to ionizing radiation and in many situations requires heavy sedation of the dog. This project will test the use of cardiac ultrasound in identifying CHF in dogs. This method could provide veterinarians with a simple and noninvasive tool for early detection and therapeutic monitoring of CHF that could replace repeated radiography and limit a dog’s exposure to radiation and need for sedation.

Results

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a common and often fatal condition in dogs suffering from heart diseases such as dilated cardiomyopathy and mitral valve disease. CHF causes fluid accumulation in the lungs with associated respiratory symptoms. Currently, chest x-rays or cardiac catheterization is considered the gold standard for diagnosing CHF in at-risk dogs. However, these methods expose veterinary personnel and canine patients to detrimental radiation, and these methods frequently require heavy sedation of the dog. Scientists from The Ohio State University have just completed a successful study that validated the use of a common, noninvasive ultrasound method, Doppler echocardiography, to diagnose CHF in canine heart disease patients. This newly adapted use of ultrasound will provide veterinarians with a simple and noninvasive tool for early detection and therapeutic monitoring of CHF.