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Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) secondary to respiratory disease is caused by pulmonary vascular remodeling and hypoxia. Severe PH can induce various clinical signs, including syncope and right‐sided heart failure. Hypothesis/Objectives: To investigate the echocardiographic characteristics in dogs with PH secondary to respiratory diseases. Animals: Thirty‐one dogs with respiratory diseases with or without PH and 15 healthy dogs. Methods: Prospective cross‐sectional study. Dogs were classified according to respiratory disease (obstructive airway/lung disease [OALD] or restrictive lung disease [RLD]) and PH‐relevant signs. The association between echocardiographic variables and PH (classified by respiratory disease and PH‐relevant signs) was investigated. Results: Twenty‐one dogs were diagnosed with PH; of these, 11 showed PH‐related signs (OALD, n = 2; RLD, n = 9), 14 had right ventricular hypertrophy, and 19 had pulmonary arterial enlargement. Right ventricular dysfunction and dilatation were observed only in dogs with PH‐related signs (n = 10). Left and right ventricular stroke volumes were significantly lower in dogs with PH (median [interquartile range]: 17.2 [12.4‐20.8] and 16.8 [15.3‐29.5] mL/m2, respectively). Dogs with RLD had higher echocardiography‐estimated pulmonary vascular resistance than those with OALD (median [interquartile range]: 3.1 [1.9‐3.3] and 1.6 [1.3‐2.2], respectively). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Pulmonary arterial enlargement was the most common echocardiographic finding in dogs with PH secondary to respiratory diseases. Right ventricular dysfunction, dilatation, and decreased left and right ventricular stroke volume were significantly associated with the PH‐related signs, indicating that comprehensive echocardiography is recommended in dogs with respiratory disease. Restricted lung disease might induce more severe PH than OALD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Pulmonary hypertension is a potentially life-threatening disease among dogs that is characterized by increased pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. In veterinary medicine, a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor such as sildenafil is the most common drug used to treat pulmonary hypertension. However, the availability of sildenafil is limited because of its high cost, difficulty in obtaining the drug in some areas, and potential inter-individual variability in the response to sildenafil therapy. Beraprost sodium is one of the most common drugs used to treat pulmonary hypertension in humans. However, little is known about its efficacy in dogs with pulmonary hypertension. In this study, beraprost sodium showed significant pulmonary and systemic vasodilation without any adverse effects in sixteen dogs with pulmonary hypertension. Additionally, echocardiographic improvements in cardiac function and pulmonary and systemic circulation were observed. These results emphasize the potential efficacy of beraprost sodium in treating canine pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a fatal condition that affects many dogs. In humans, PH is often treated with beraprost sodium (BPS). However, the effectiveness of BPS for canine PH has not been established. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and cardiovascular response of BPS in canine patients with PH of various causes. Sixteen dogs with PH (post-capillary PH, n = 8; pre-capillary PH, n = 8) were included. BPS was continuously administered twice daily at 15 µg/kg. All dogs underwent echocardiography, including speckle-tracking analysis and blood pressure measurement, before and after BPS administration. Continuous BPS administration (range: 13.2–22.0 µg/kg) significantly decreased the pulmonary and systemic vascular impedance and increased left and right ventricular myocardial strain. In dogs with post-capillary PH, BPS administration caused no significant worsening of the left atrial pressure indicators. No side effects of BPS were observed in any dog. BPS also improved cardiac function and pulmonary circulation through pulmonary vasodilation, suggesting that BPS may be an additional treatment option for canine PH of various causes. Particularly, BPS increased left ventricular function and systemic circulation without worsening the left heart loading condition in dogs with post-capillary PH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]