Radiographic alterations of 131 dogs with congestive heart disease

Abstract

The objective of this study was to describe the radiographic alterations of 131 cardiopatic dogs treated at the Small Animals Medical Clinic, Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Campina Grande. From January 2007 to December 2012, all clinical records of dogs attended in the routine were selected, by means of selecting animals that had a history, and clinical signs compatible with heart disease. From these, the radiographic examinations were evaluated, describing the alterations found. Cough, fatigue and apathy were the most frequent clinical complaints. Each animal had more than one radiographic alteration, with pulmonary edema (48,1%), HSV greater than 10.5 (42,5%), tracheal dorsal displacement (34,3%), greater contact with the external bone (34,3%) and rounded silhouette (32,8%) the most frequent findings. An extensive knowledge of the radiographic changes related to the cardiological patient should be recognized, in order to aid in the rapid identification of the patients with heart disease.