Affiliation:
1. Department of Clinical Sciences Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University North Grafton Massachusetts USA
2. CVCA: Cardiac Care for Pets Leesburg Virginia USA
3. CVCA: Cardiac Care for Pets Hunt Valley Maryland USA
4. Irish Wolfhound Foundation Evansville Indiana USA
5. Irish Wolfhound Foundation Yellow Springs Ohio USA
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundApparently healthy dogs of various breeds eating nontraditional, high‐pulse diets can have larger left ventricular diameter, lower systolic function, and more ventricular premature complexes (VPCs) compared with dogs eating traditional, low‐pulse diets. It is unknown whether Irish Wolfhounds eating high‐pulse diets have similar cardiac abnormalities.Hypothesis/ObjectivesTo compare electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings between Irish Wolfhounds eating high‐ or low‐pulse diets.AnimalsNinety‐seven Irish Wolfhounds.MethodsRetrospective study of Irish Wolfhounds that had echocardiography performed at dog shows between October 2018 and May 2021. Demographic information, echocardiographic measurements, cardiac rhythm (1‐minute lead II rhythm strip), and main diet were recorded retrospectively. Diets were classified as high‐pulse or low‐pulse based on the presence and location of pulses (peas, lentils, chickpeas, or dry beans) on the ingredient list.ResultsThirty‐five of 97 Irish Wolfhounds (36%) were eating high‐pulse diets and 62 of 97 (64%) were eating low‐pulse diets. There were no significant differences between diet groups in echocardiographic measurements. A significantly higher percentage of dogs in the high‐pulse diet group (6/35 [17%]) had VPCs compared with those in the low‐pulse diet group (1/62 [2%]; effect size = 0.15 [95% confidence interval: 0.004‐0.31]; P = .005).Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceIn this retrospective study of apparently healthy Irish Wolfhounds, high‐pulse diets were associated with a higher prevalence of VPCs which could represent early cardiac abnormalities.
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