Main changes in eletrocardiogram in dogs

Abstract

The electrocardiogram (ECG) is considered the most widely used method of diagnosis of cardiac diseases in veterinary medicine, being a dynamic and non-invasive evaluation of the heart. The electric waves are evaluated through the characteristics of duration, amplitude and deflection that can vary according to the species, size, sex, age and race of the animal. The knowledge of the prevalence of cardiac affections in dogs is of fundamental importance for the clinician of small animals, as it assists in the formulation of differential diagnoses and in the establishment of an adequate therapeutic plan. Thus, the objective of this study is to present the frequency of the main alterations in the electrocardiogram in dogs attended by the electrocardiography service of the ETAVE Veterinary Hospital of Fortaleza, Ceará. The sample consisted of 518 dogs, of these 216 males and 352 females, attended at the Veterinary Hospital - ETAVE of Fortaleza - CE, from September 2016 to September 2018. The animals were selected from the clinical indication, anesthetic and pre-surgical, being submitted to physical and clinical avaliation. Thus, we conclude that the changes most frequently found were low-amplitude QRS complex, first-degree atrioventricular block, and premature supraventricular tachycardia, present in at least two of the groups of alterations studied. The ECG is an important diagnostic feature that can help both detect and control cardiac conditions, which, if uncontrolled and treated, can lead to death.