Serum cardiac troponin I concentration in dogs with precapillary and postcapillary pulmonary hypertension.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a disease condition leading to right\u2010sided cardiac hypertrophy and, eventually, right\u2010sided heart failure. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a circulating biomarker of cardiac damage. Hypothesis: Myocardial damage can occur in dogs with precapillary and postcapillary PH. Animals: One hundred and thirty\u2010three dogs were examined: 26 healthy controls, 42 dogs with mitral valve disease (MVD) without PH, 48 dogs with pulmonary hypertension associated with mitral valve disease (PH\u2010MVD), and 17 dogs with precapillary PH. Methods: Prospective, observational study. Serum cTnI concentration was measured with a commercially available immunoassay and results were compared between groups. Results: Median cTnI was 0.10\u2003ng/mL (range 0.10\u20130.17\u2003ng/mL) in healthy dogs. Compared with the healthy population, median serum cTnI concentration was increased in dogs with precapillary PH (0.25\u2003ng/mL; range 0.10\u20131.9\u2003ng/mL; P < .001) and in dogs with PH\u2010MVD (0.21\u2003ng/mL; range 0.10\u20132.10\u2003ng/mL; P < .001). Median serum cTnI concentration of dogs with MVD (0.12\u2003ng/mL; range 0.10\u20131.00\u2003ng/mL) was not significantly different compared with control group and dogs with PH\u2010MVD. In dogs with MVD and PH\u2010MVD, only the subgroup with decompensated PH\u2010MVD had significantly higher cTnI concentration compared with dogs with compensated MVD and PH\u2010MVD. Serum cTnI concentration showed significant modest positive correlations with the calculated pulmonary artery systolic pressure in dogs with PH and some echocardiographic indices in dogs with MVD and PH\u2010MVD. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Serum cTnI is high in dogs with either precapillary and postcapillary PH. Myocardial damage in dogs with postcapillary PH is likely the consequence of increased severity of MVD

Invasive pleural malignant mesothelioma with rib destruction and concurrent osteosarcoma in a dog

A 7-year-old Dachshund was clinically examined because of a 10-day history of lameness in the left hind limb. On the basis of radiological and cytological findings, an osteosarcoma of the left acetabular region was suspected. The dog underwent a hemipelvectomy and osteosarcoma was diagnosed by subsequent histopathological examination. An immovable subcutaneous mass was noted on the left chest wall during the physical examination and non-septic neutrophilic inflammation was diagnosed by cytology. Forty days later, the dog showed signs of respiratory distress with an in-diameter increase of the subcutaneous mass up to 4 cm. Thoracic radiography and ultrasonography revealed pleural effusion and a lytic process in the fourth left rib. Furthermore, ultrasound examination revealed a mixed echogenic mobile structure with a diameter of around 2 cm floating within the pleural fluid of the left hemithorax close to the pericardium. The dog underwent surgery for an en bloc resection of the subcutaneous mass together with the fourth rib and the parietal pleura. Moreover, the left altered lung lobe, corresponding to the mobile structure detected by ultrasound, was removed. Based on cytological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical examinations, an invasive epithelioid pleural malignant mesothelioma was diagnosed

Evaluation of the Cardiac Toxicity of N-Methyl-Glucamine in Leishmaniotic dogs

N-methyl-glucamine (Glucantime®) is a first line drug used in anti-leishmania treatment. Several side-effects, including cardiac negative effects, have been described in patients treated with this drug. In particular, prolongation of the QT interval, ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death have been reported in humans. The aim of this study was to assess the possible negative cardiac effects of N-methyl-glucamine in dogs with spontaneous Leishmaniosis. Thirteen dogs naturally affected by Leishmaniosis were treated with Glucantime® at a dose of 75 mg/kg q12 h SC for 60 days. On each dog, evaluation of serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentration was carried out using an automated immunoassay method before the onset of the therapy (T0) and at the end of treatment (T60). Furthermore, 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring was performed at the same time interval and the QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc) was calculated using a one-parameter logarithmic formula. Serum cTnI concentration and QTc values at T0 and T60 were compared using a Mann-Whitney u-test and a paired Student’s t-test, respectively. A value of P<0,05 was considered to be significant. Serum cTnI concentrations were normal either before and at the end of the study and no statistical differences were observed from T0 and T60. No cardiac arrhythmia was found in 24-hour ECG tracings before and after the treatment. Analysis of QTc values did not evidenced any statistical difference from T0 and T60. Results of the present study evidenced no laboratory and electrocardiographic features of cardiac toxicity in Leishmaniotic dogs treated with a therapeutic dose of N-methyl-glucamine for 60 days

Valutazioni emodinamiche in 5 cavalli sani trattati con un ACE-inibitore (Ramipril)

The hemodynamic effects of the ACE-inhibitor ramipril were evaluated in five healthy horses. Ramipril, at a dose of 200 μg/kg was given per os for four days in each subject. The heart rate and arterial blood pressure (systolic, diastolic and mean) were monitored one day before and during the four days of treatment in each horse at specific time intervals. Compared to pre-treatment values, significantly reduced arterial blood pressures were evidenced on each day post-treatment starting from day 3. No difference of the heart rate values was found during treatment