Professional Documents
Culture Documents
L.P. TILLEY
The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, New York, U.S.A. 10021.
Electrocardiography has become 14) Basis for records and consultation The minimum electrocardiographic
established as an atraumatic, relatively 15) Serial electrocardiograms as an recording is a lead II rhythm strip-and
aid in the prognosis and diagnosis the six basic limb leads. This recording
inexpensive and extremely useful
in both the dog and cat is the primary
of cardiac disease.
technique for gaining information
basis for discussion here. The precorabout the heart. It is now generally
leads are discussed only in specific
to
the
Electrocardiogram
dial
Approach
of
the
caras
a
part
necessary
accepted
The complete electrocardiogram conditions.
diac examination of a. dog or cat
After the complete electrocardio(Table I). Electrocardiography can should include at least three to four
serve two purposes: (a) diagnosing complexes of each bipolar standard gram has been recorded, it must be
most cardiac arrhythmias, since the leads (I, II, III), three augmented uni- analyzed to determine whether it is
electrocardiogram can determine the polar limb leads (aVR, aVL, aVF) and normal or abnormal by measuring the
source of the rhythm and the fre- at least 30 to 45 cm of a lead II strip. various complex heights and interval
quency with which the impulse arises The unipolar precordial chest leads lengths and comparing them with the
and (b) providing informationt on the (CV5RL, also termed rV2; CV6LL or normal values.
Every electrocardiogram should
status of the myocardium, since the V2; CV6LU or V4; and VIO) can also be
P-QRS-T deflection of the electro- recorded for added electrocardiogra- have at least four features examined
cardiographic tracing are often altered phic accuracy in specific conditions. -systematically; heart rate, heart
by either pathological or physioligical
TABLE I
factors.
COMMON CLINICAL FINDINGS IN DOGS AND CATS WITH CARDIOMYOPATHY
More veterinary hospitals each year
Canine
Feline
are purchasing electrocardiographs,
thereby increasing the number of tracHypertrophic Form Dilated Form Hypertrophic Form
Dilated Form
ings taken by veterinarians and necesMale
Male
Male
Male
sitating a lecture course with a sim- Sex
death
Sudden
Cough
Shock
Dyspnea
Clinical
Signs
plifed approach toward accurately
Dyspnea
Thromboembolism
Hypothermia
interpreting these electrocardiograms.
Ascites
Anorexia
Sudden death
Some of the important indications
Weakness
Dyspnea
for taking an electrocardiogram are as
Anorexia
Thromboembolism
follows:
Syncope
Breed Siamese
1) Tachycardia, bradycardia, or
Breed: Large Breeds
Burmese
arrhythmia heard on auscultation. ElectroAtrial and ventric- Atrialfibrillation Third degree atrioVentricular
2) Acute onset of dyspnea
ular arrhythmias Ventricular prema- ventricular block
premature
cardiography
3) Shock
ture complexes
Intraventricular
complexes
4) Fainting or seizures
Left ventricular
conduction dis- Left ventricular
5) Cardiac monitoring during and
enlargement
turbances
enlargement
Sinus bradycardia Left ventricular
after surgery
and atrial
6) All cardiac murmurs
enlargement
7) Cardiomegaly found on thoracic
Cardiomegaly
radiographs
Cardiomegaly
Left atrial
Cardiomegaly
Radiology
Left atrial
Pleural effusion
enlargement
8) Cyanosis
enlargement
Cardiomegaly
9) Preoperatively in older animals
Pulmonary edema Pleural effusion
10) Evaluating the effect of cardiac
Pulmonary edema
drugs
Diuretics
Digoxin
Propranolol
Digoxin
disturbances
Treatment
11) Electrolyte
Propranolol (?)
Diuretics
Diuretics
Cage rest
12) Pericardiocentesis, for monitorPropranolol
Diuretics
Propranolol
ing purposes as well as for locatLQW sodium diet
Grave prognosis
ing the needle
Exercise restriction
Afterload reducers
the
affect
that
diseases
13) Systemic
Vitamin E
heart
Presented at the 32nd Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Annual Convention, Moncton, N.B. July, 1-980.
23
f) Q-T interval
g) Basic limb leads (I, II, III, aVR,
aVL, and aVF)
4) Determine the mean electrical exis.
Recommended Reading
BOLTON, G. Handbook of Canine Electrocardiography. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co. 1975.
ETTINGER, s. Cardiac arrhythmias. In Textbook
of Veterinary Internal Medicine, S.J. Ettinger,
Editor. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co. 1975.
FREIDMAN. H.H. Diagnostic Electrocardiography
is a preventative drug.
21) Before giving digoxin for cardiac
decompensation to either a cat or
dog, a chest X-ray should always
be taken.
22) Sinus bradycardia in the cat is
most often associated with the
dilated form of cardiomyopathy.
23) A low sodium diet in the treatment of congestive heart failure
can be very helpful to prevent
pulmonary edema and ascites, as
well as reduce the need of a high
diuretic dosage.
24) Fainting in the dog or cat is most
often associated with underlying
cardiac disease.
25) Atrial fibrillation in a middle
aged, male and large breed dog is
almost always associated with
congestive cardiomyopathy.
26) The most common cause of sudden death in both the dog and cat
is most likely hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy.
27) The Siamese and Burmese breeds
of cats are very prone to the
dilated form of cardiomyopathy.
28) In both the dog and cat, the male
is more prone to cardiac disease.
29) Vasodilatory therapy:
a) to use in combination with
digoxin and diuretics,
b) use an arteriole vasodilator
(hydralizine) when an increase
in cardiac output is needed,
such as in mitral insufficiency,
c) a venodilator (nitroglycerin)
should be used when there is
pulmonary congestion,
d) to give both a venodilator and
Can. vet. J. 22: 24-25 (January
1981)