A clinical and cardiovascular risk factor study in dogs.

A clinical and cardiovascular risk factor study in dogs.
The clinical knowledge of cardiac abnormalities in dogs is of fundamental importance in the formulation of differential diagnoses and therapeutic institution in the routine of the Small Animal Clinic. This study aimed to describe the clinical, epidemiological and radiographic aspects inherent to cardiovascular changes in dogs with heart disease treated at the Veterinary Hospital of Patos-PB (HV). For this, the clinical records of all animals seen in the period from January 2007 to December 2012 were evaluated, selecting 131 dogs (GCARD) that presented history, clinical and radiographic changes compatible with heart disease. For comparative purposes, a control group without heart disease of equal number was created (GCON). The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test and multiple logistic regression were used for statistical analysis, with a 5% significance level, using the SPSS 20.0 for Windows program. Pulmonary edema and cardiac morphological changes were the most frequent radiographic findings. There was no difference regarding sex and older animals and the poodle breed prevailed. Cough, fatigue and sadness were the most common complaints. Blowing, tartar and ocular alterations were the most frequent clinical signs. The variables related to choking, dizziness/weakness, lung crackling, ascites, obesity, tumor, and tartar were identified as associated with heart disease. The final model showed satisfactory fit (Hosmer and Lemeshow test: χ2=0.221; P=0.994; R2 = 0.46). Even if it is not possible to determine the etiologic diagnosis of heart diseases, it is necessary that a broad clinical and epidemiological knowledge of these diseases is increasingly consolidated, so that the pathophysiological consequences of cardiac disorders are
can be rapidly identified, bringing quality of life to all heart disease patients.
Canines of advanced age, carriers of clinical signs not directly related to heart disease, such as ophthalmic changes, obesity and tumors should be carefully investigated and considered as flags in the suspicion of heart disease.