Macroendoscopical and histopathological aspects in Helicobacter pylori gastroenteritis in dogs– case report

In current veterinary medical practice, more clinical and imaging investigations are needed to fully assess a patient with digestive symptoms. In this case, the anamnesis and patient history are the starting points in staging a diagnosis. Questions with uncertain answers lead to laboratory tests – blood count and blood biochemistry. The etiologic diversity in digestive pathologies implies these blood tests to exclude some of the diseases. X-ray and ultrasound examinations are the next steps to follow; these are diagnosis methods that precede the endoscopic examination. After the macroendoscopic evaluation of the digestive tract, biopsy samples must be taken for the Helicobacter pylori quick test (Figure 1). Histological examination of the biopsy samples taken from canine patients, which were positive for Helicobacter pylori, can reveal another lesions in the digestive tract; in this moment a treatment can be initiated to reduce or even to abolish the simptomatology

Analysis of Poincaré plot derived from 5-min electrocardiography in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease

Background: Evaluation of heart rate variability (HRV) is used for risk assessment in a variety of cardiac diseases including myxomatous mitral valve degeneration (MMVD).Objectives: To compare the geometric analysis of HRV using visual patterns of Poincaré plot among different classes of MMVD in dogs and to analyse the differences in beat-to-beat variability using tachograms and sequential Poincaré plots among different shapes.Animals and methods: Healthy and MMVD dogs were retrospectively reviewed. Five-minute ECG data was used to create Poincaré plots and shapes were compared among groups. Furthermore, a sub-analysis of 50 consecutive R–R intervals was performed. Pearson Chi-square with adjusted standardized residuals was used to compare the categorical data between groups.Results: Fifteen healthy dogs and 157 dogs with MMVD were included in the study. Normal and B1 groups showed a predominance of triangular shape (73% and 60% respectively; p < 0.05). In B2 group the predominant shape was comet (40%; p < 0.05) while comet and torpedo were predominant in Ca group (41% and 36% respectively; p < 0.05). Visual geometric analysis revealed a lower dispersion of the cloud clustering towards the left lower corner of the plot with MMVD progression. Diamond and triangle revealed a lower mean heart rate compared to comet and torpedo shapes (p < 0.01). Interclass correlation between 3 observers was 0.906 (95% CI of 0.8 − 0.96).Conclusions: Poincaré plot shape changes with MMVD progression suggesting that geometrical analysis of HRV in dogs with cardiac conditions could be a useful tool in the risk assessment and further studies are warranted

Retrospective evaluation of notched and fragmented QRS complex in dogs with naturally occurring myxomatous mitral valve disease

Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the most common cardiac disease in dogs. The association of QRS notching (nQRS) or fragmentation (fQRS) with disease severity is currently unknown. The study objective was to assess the prevalence of nQRS and fQRS in dogs with MMVD and its severity according to ACVIM classification and to compare the results with a group of healthy dogs. This retrospective cross-sectional study included 34 healthy control dogs and 155 dogs with spontaneous MMVD (42% of dogs in class B1, 23% in class B2 and 35% in class C). fQRS was defined as nQRS complexes in two contiguous leads in the frontal plane (leads I and aVL) and (II, III or aVF). A one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc test was used to assess the differences in continuous data between control and MMVD groups. Of the MMVD group, 58% showed nQRS in at least one lead and 27% presented fQRS. There was no difference between the number of leads with a nQRS and disease severity (p ¼ 0.75) nor did the number of leads with a nQRS correlate with left atrial size (r ¼ 0.48; p ¼ 0.5). The number of dogs with fQRS did not differ among classes of MMVD (p ¼ 0.21). nQRS and fQRS were more prevalent in dogs with MMVD compared to control dogs (p < 0.01). This study did not identify any relationship between the number of leads with a nQRS and disease severity. However, dogs with MMVD had a higher prevalence of nQRS and fQRS compared to control group

Vagally Associated Second Degree Atrio-Ventricular Block in a Dog with Severe Azotemia and Evidence of Sympathetic Overdrive

A 14 years old, 6 kg, mix-breed male dog with severe azotemia due to urinary bladder herniation was presented to our Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH). Electrocardiography revealed normal heart rate of 100 bpm, evidence of sinus respiratory arrhythmia (SRA) and frequent second degree atrio-ventricular block following peak inspiratory phase suggestive of vagally-induced atrio-ventricular conduction delay. Echocardiographic examination showed mild mitral regurgitation without any other cardiac changes, and systolic (SAP) and diastolic (DAP) blood pressure values were 185/90 mmHg (SAP/DAP). Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) was increased to 7.3 ng/mL, suggesting a myocardial injury. A Holter examination revealed evidence of overall decrease in heart rate variability with evidence of sympathetic overdrive on time and frequency domain as well as when the non-linear Poincar&eacute; plot was analyzed. Based on the author&rsquo;s knowledge, this is the first report of a second degree atrio-ventricular block associated with vagal activity in a dog, with evidence of sympathetic overdrive and severe azotemia

Analysis of Poincaré plot derived from five-minute electrocardiography in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease

AbstractBackground: Evaluation of heart rate variability (HRV) is used for risk assessment in a variety of cardiac diseases including myxomatous mitral valve degeneration (MMVD).Objectives: To compare the geometric analysis of HRV using visual patterns of Poincaré plot among different classes of MMVD in dogs and to analyse the differences in beat-to-beat variability using tachograms and sequential Poincaré plots among different shapes.Animals and methods: Healthy and MMVD dogs were retrospectively reviewed. Five-minute ECG data was used to create Poincaré plots and shapes were compared among groups. Furthermore, a sub-analysis of 50 consecutive R-R intervals was performed. Pearson Chi-Square with adjusted standardized residuals was used to compare the categorical data between groups.Results: Fifteen healthy dogs and 157 dogs with MMVD were included in the study. Normal and B1 groups showed a predominance of triangular shape (73% and 60% respectively; p < 0.05). In B2 group the predominant shape was comet (40%; p < 0.05) while comet and torpedo were predominant in Ca group (41% and 36% respectively; p < 0.05). Visual geometric analysis revealed a lower dispersion of the cloud clustering towards the left lower corner of the plot with MMVD progression. Diamond and triangle revealed a lower mean heart rate compared to comet and torpedo shapes (P < 0.01). Interclass correlation between 3 observers was 0.906 (95% CI of 0.8 – 0.96).Conclusions: Poincaré plot shape changes with MMVD progression suggesting that geometrical analysis of HRV in dogs with cardiac conditions could be a useful tool in the risk assessment and further studies are warranted