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RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF PULMONARY HYPERTENSION IN DOGS EXAMINED AT CLINIC FOR INTERNAL DISEASES, FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE, ZAGREB (2016-2019)

In veterinary medicine, pulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined as echocardiographically estimated pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (based on peak systolic tricuspid regurgitation (TR) gradient) greater than 30 mmHg. The severity of PH is classified as mild (≥ 31.4 to < 50 mmHg), moderate (50–75 mmHg) or severe (> 75 mmHg). PH can be further classified as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), resulting from abnormalities on the arterial side of the pulmonary vascular system (e.g. heartworm disease, congenital systemic to pulmonary shunts), or pulmonary venous hypertension (PVH), associated mainly with left-sided heart disease, due to valvular degeneration or cardiomyopathy. The pathophysiology of PAH is multifactorial and results from an imbalance of endogenous and exogenous pulmonary artery vasodilatators and vasoconstrictors, whereas the pathophysiology of PVH with left-sided heart disease derives from hypertension caused by increased left atrial pressures, and vasoconstriction-associated hypoxia. The aim of this retrospective study of dogs with PH referred to the Clinic for Internal Diseases of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagreb, was to characterise the population of dogs with PH, determine whether they had PAH or PVH, describe clinical signs, therapy and survival time. All of the dogs (n=38, 15 females, 23 males) underwent a full physical and echocardiographic examination. Most of the dogs (84%) were less than 10 kg in body weight, were purebred (76%), older than 10 years (81%) and initially presented because of respiratory distress (n = 18) or persistent cough (n = 15). Only 21% of the dogs had PVH associated with left-sided heart disease and 79% had PAH. Heart murmur was detected in 63% of the dogs. Most of the dogs had moderate PH. To conclude, pulmonary hypertension is a disease of miniature to small-breed dogs, in which males are more commonly affected. Respiratory distress and cough where a sign of PAH rather than of left-sided heart disease.

pulmonary hypertension, dogs, respiratory distress

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