Mitral regurgitation: The most common heart disease in dogs (Proceedings)

The client wants to know, and will pay for, each test you perform or each drug you give, that has a reasonable expectation of making their pet feel better or live longer.

A. Prevalence/Etiology: 72 million dogs in the US; 72 million cats in the US; 11% of each have heart disease; 85% of dogs with hearty disease have endocardiodiosis leading to mitral regurgitation. Prevalent in small, chondrodystrophic; familial; possibly 5HT-mediated; possibly related to periodontal disease.

B. Diagnosis and selection of drugs:

1. Left apical holosystolic murmur unrelated to severity. No Rx.

2. Left atrial and left ventricular enlargement related to severity.

Rx: ACE inhibitor, spironolactone, possibly beta blocker

3. Pulmonary congestion/edema: tachypnea, wheezes, subtle cough, crackles, cyanosis. Theophylline, furosemide, chlorothiazide, digitalis, pimobendan.

4. Supraventricular arrhythmias. Rx. digitalis, ....olol, diltiazem.

5. Ventricular arrhythmias. Rx. sotalol, amiodarone