Vet Med Sci. 2026 Jul;12(4):e70922. doi: 10.1002/vms3.70922.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The main goal of this study was to identify various brightness, motion and Doppler echocardiographic variables in small-breed dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease.
ANIMALS: Sixty client-owned small-breed dogs with mitral regurgitation murmurs.
METHODS: Echocardiography was performed in brightness, motion and Doppler modality from the right parasternal view. On the basis of thoracic radiographs, the dogs were categorized into two groups: those with cardiomegaly and those without cardiomegaly. Additionally, on the basis of the jet area signal to left atrium ratio in colour Doppler echocardiography, the canines were divided into three groups: mild, moderate and severe mitral regurgitation. Furthermore, the dogs were classified into preclinical and clinical groups on the basis of the presence or absence of clinical signs, and various variables were compared across these groups.
RESULTS: This difference was statistically significant and more prevalent in intact dogs than in spayed/neutered dogs. Significant differences were observed in variables including LAmax, LA:Ao, LVIDd, LVIDs, VMA, VMG, VMV, GMV, VMA-GMVT, LVOT and GLVOT in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease of varying mitral regurgitation severity and between normal and enlarged hearts. Significant differences were also found in the FS, GMV, VLVOT and GLVOT variables between the clinical and preclinical groups. A moderate and statistically significant correlation was observed between LA:Ao and VMA, VMV and LVOT. Weak and mostly insignificant correlations were found between the Doppler and motion-mode variables.
CONCLUSIONS: Varying mitral regurgitation severity, heart size and the presence of clinical signs can significantly affect certain brightness, motion and Doppler echocardiographic variables in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (valvular heart disease).
PMID:42295688 | DOI:10.1002/vms3.70922
