Ambulatory Electrocardiogram Findings in Healthy Dogs
We request permission to obtain blood samples, echocardiograms and 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiograms (AECG) from a group of healthy dogs .
Ambulatory ECGs are increasingly used in clinical practice to diagnose and monitor heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias). However, studies describing normal findings on ECG over an extended period of 24-hours, are lacking.
The aim of the study is to describe AECG findings in a group of healthy dogs in order to fill the knowledge gap regarding normal versus abnormal AECG findings in dogs. This will allow clinicians to better interpret the results they obtain for AECG in their patients. In order to determine cardiac health and thus inclusion in the study these dogs will also be subject to an echocardiogram to rule out structural changes in the heart as well as a single blood sample for measurement of cardiac troponin I (a marker of cardiac cell injury).
We are seeking permission to sample a total of 50 dogs aged 2-8 years. These dogs will be subject to a routine physical examination, one blood sampling event, one echocardiogram and one 24-hour period of continuous AECG uptake. The maximum blood volume taken will be 4 ml. Blood samples will be taken from the jugular or cephalic vein depending on the patients preference, with a vacutainer and sterile needle. An experienced veterinarian will take the blood samples. This is a routine procedure in small animal practice and is not anticipated to cause any major discomfort to the animal. Echocardiography and AECG are non-invasive procedures and are not anticipated to cause any major discomfort or distress to the dogs.
Findings from this study could aid the diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias in clinical practice through establishing normal findings and thus enabling a distinction between normal and abnormal AECGs.
Dogs are necessary in this study in order to specifically investigate AECG findings in this species . Any overtly nervous animals will be not be sampled.
Ambulatory ECGs are increasingly used in clinical practice to diagnose and monitor heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias). However, studies describing normal findings on ECG over an extended period of 24-hours, are lacking.
The aim of the study is to describe AECG findings in a group of healthy dogs in order to fill the knowledge gap regarding normal versus abnormal AECG findings in dogs. This will allow clinicians to better interpret the results they obtain for AECG in their patients. In order to determine cardiac health and thus inclusion in the study these dogs will also be subject to an echocardiogram to rule out structural changes in the heart as well as a single blood sample for measurement of cardiac troponin I (a marker of cardiac cell injury).
We are seeking permission to sample a total of 50 dogs aged 2-8 years. These dogs will be subject to a routine physical examination, one blood sampling event, one echocardiogram and one 24-hour period of continuous AECG uptake. The maximum blood volume taken will be 4 ml. Blood samples will be taken from the jugular or cephalic vein depending on the patients preference, with a vacutainer and sterile needle. An experienced veterinarian will take the blood samples. This is a routine procedure in small animal practice and is not anticipated to cause any major discomfort to the animal. Echocardiography and AECG are non-invasive procedures and are not anticipated to cause any major discomfort or distress to the dogs.
Findings from this study could aid the diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmias in clinical practice through establishing normal findings and thus enabling a distinction between normal and abnormal AECGs.
Dogs are necessary in this study in order to specifically investigate AECG findings in this species . Any overtly nervous animals will be not be sampled.