Electrocardiographic reference values in whippets.

Full Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the electrocardiographic characteristics of whippets and to compare the results with published reference values for a general dog population. Electrocardiographic parameters from 105 healthy whippets were used to establish reference values for the breed. The most important differences compared to published reference values were the higher median R-wave amplitudes in leads II, CV(6)LL and CV(6)LU. For some parameters (P-wave amplitude, ST-segment deflection and T-wave amplitude in lead II; R-wave amplitude in CV(5)RL), a marked percentage of the whippet values were above the published maximum reference data. The results confirmed that whippets have electrocardiographic characteristics similar to those reported in athletic heart syndrome in humans. Some of these characteristics could be erroneously taken as evidence of cardiac disease and clinicians should be aware of these factors to prevent unnecessary investigations in healthy dogs.

Author information

Author/s: Bavegems, Valérie (V); Duchateau, Luc (L); Ham, Luc Van (LV); Rick, André De (AD); Sys, Stanislas U (SU);

Affiliation: Department of Medicine and Clinical Biology of Small Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. valerie.bavegems(-atsign-)UGent.be

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997) (Vet J), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Oct; vol 182 (issue 1) : pp 59-66

Dates: Created 2009/06/15; Completed 2009/07/22; Revised 2009/08/20;

PMID: 19524205, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 8/21/2009, IMS Date: )

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