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Background: Cats with subclinical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (sHCM) have elevated serum insulin levels and serum amyloid A levels correlating with the degree of cardiac hypertrophy. Diet might affect these parameters and other cardiac variables.Objective: Evaluate the effect of a complete, balanced diet with restricted starch and supplemented with eicosapentanoic acid+docosahexaenoic acid (EPA+DHA) on echocardiographic parameters and cardiac biomarkers in cats with sHCM.Animals: Forty-four client-owned cats with sHCM. Methods: A prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicenter study enrolled cats with end-diastole interventricular septum thickness (IVSd) and/or left ventricular wall thickness (LVWd) ≥6 mm. Non-sedated, fasted cats were examined at baseline and after 6 and 12 months of Test (restricted starch and EPA+DHA supplements) (n=23) or Control (unrestricted starch without EPA+DHA supplementation) (n=21) diet. Assessments included auscultation, body weight, body condition score, echocardiography and blood analysis. Linear and generalized mixed models analyzed diet, time and diet*time interactions (5% significance level). Results: No differences between diet groups were significant for any variable at any timepoint. There were significant decreases in the Test but not Control group in maximum IVSd (P = .031; P = .524), maximum LVWd (P = .022; P = .905) and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels (P = .036; P = .987) after 12 months, and in ultra-sensitive cardiac troponin I (cTnI) (P = .001; P = .745) after 6 months only.Conclusions and clinical importance: Significant decreases in echocardiographic variables of sHCM, cTnI and IGF-1, were observed in the Test group. Further research is needed to evaluate effects on clinical outcomes.

Introduction To describe the signalment, physical examination, and echocardiographic findings of a series of English Springer Spaniels (ESSs) diagnosed with congenital mitral valve dysplasia (MD). Animals Eight client-owned ESSs with congenital MD referred for murmur investigation and/or suspected congestive heart failure (CHF). Materials and methods Retrospective case series. Medical records and echocardiograms were reviewed to collect relevant data. Echocardiograms were assessed for the following abnormalities consistent with MD: thickened valve leaflets or leaflet tips, a ‘hockey stick’ appearance to the valve leaflets, abnormal length of one leaflet with respect to the other, and tethering of one or both leaflets to the papillary muscles. Results All eight dogs showed the typical echocardiographic lesions associated with MD: thickened leaflet tips (5/8), ‘hockey stick’ appearance (5/8), elongated anterior leaflet (4/8), tethering of one or both leaflets (7/8). Seven of the eight dogs presented in CHF. Six of the eight dogs had left ventricular dilation in both systole and diastole. Two of the eight dogs had reduced systolic function as assessed by ejection fraction/fractional shortening; however end-systolic volume index was increased in 6/8 dogs. Two dogs subsequently developed atrial fibrillation. Conclusions Congenital MD should be considered in ESSs with a left-sided apical systolic murmur, particularly in younger dogs. The valve changes seen are similar to those reported in other breeds with MD (thickened leaflet tips, hockey stick appearance to open leaflet tips, abnormal leaflet tethering, abnormally shaped leaflets) and may result in marked remodeling and CHF.

Background Insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and inflammation possibly are involved in cats with asymptomatic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (aHCM). Objectives To evaluate echocardiography, morphology, cardiac and inflammatory markers, insulin and IGF-1 in cats with aHCM. Animals Fifty-one client-owned cats with aHCM. Methods Observational descriptive study. Variables (body weight [BW], body condition score [BCS], echocardiography, and serum concentrations of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP], ultra-sensitive troponin-I [c-TnI], serum amyloid A [SAA], insulin, glucose and IGF-1) were evaluated for significant increases above echocardiography cutoff values and laboratory reference ranges, associations and effect of left atrial (LA) remodeling and generalized hypertrophy. Results Cats with aHCM had BCS >= 6/9 (P = .01) and insulin (P < .001), NT-proBNP (P = .001) and cTn-I (P < .001) above laboratory reference ranges. Associations were present between NT-proBNP and maximum end-diastolic interventricular septum thickness (IVSd; rho = .32; P = .05), maximum end-diastolic left ventricular free wall thickness;(rho = .41; P = .01), LA/Aorta (rho = .52; P = .001) and LA diameter (LA-max; rho = .32; P = .05); c-TnI and LA/Aorta (rho = .49; P = .003) and LA-max (rho = .28; P = .05); and SAA and number of IVSd regions >= 6 mm thickness (rho = .28; P = .05). Body weight and BCS were associated with IGF-1 (r = 0.44; P = .001), and insulin (rho = .33; P = .02), glucose (rho = .29; P = .04) and IGF-1 (rho = .32; P = .02), respectively. Concentrations of NT-proBNP (P = .02) and c-TnI (P = .01), and SAA (P = .02), were higher in cats with LA remodeling, and generalized hypertrophy, respectively. Conclusions and clinical importance Results suggest potential implications of insulin, IGF-1, and inflammation in cats with aHCM, but it remains to be confirmed whether these findings represent a physiological process or a part of the pathogenesis and development of disease. Royal Canin SAS van Hoek, I (reprint author), Royal Canin SAS, Res & Dev, 650 Ave Petite Camargue, F-30470 Aimargues, France. ingrid.van.hoek@royalcanin.com

OBJECTIVES To determine if dogs with congestive heart failure have different white blood cell differential cell counts than dogs without cardiac disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS In total, 72 dogs with congestive heart failure and 143 controls were included in this retrospective study. Signalment, white blood cell differential counts and echocardiography data were retrieved. Basic statistical analysis was performed on white blood cell differential counts, and principal component analysis was used to compare these counts between cases and controls, with age, gender and case/control status as supplementary variables. Cases and controls were compared with binary logistic regression for the principal components identified and individual white blood cell differential counts. Principal component analysis of cases alone was conducted with age, gender, weight and mitral E wave:isovolumic relaxation time as supplementary variables. Linear regression analysis was used to explore the association between mitral E wave:isovolumic relaxation time and the principal components, weight, gender, age and diagnosis (mitral valve disease or dilated cardiomyopathy). RESULTS Among cases and controls, the largest variance in data (component 1) was associated with neutrophils, band neutrophils, monocytes and case status (P

© British Veterinary Association 2018. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. A six-year-old, female, neutered crossbreed was presented to the University of Liverpool Small Animal Teaching Hospital for evaluation of pericardial effusion. Diagnostic imaging confirmed pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade in addition to a mass located at the heart base. Thoracic CT revealed a strongly contrast-enhancing soft-tissue mass right lateral to the ascending aorta and ventral to the cranial vena cava with no evidence of metastatic disease. Subsequently, a subtotal pericardectomy was performed, and the mass was incompletely excised. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry revealed the mass to be an ectopic thyroid carcinoma of medullary (C cell) origin. The patient was treated with adjunctive chemotherapy (toceranib phosphate). Repeat staging two months later revealed no evidence of macroscopic tumour recurrence or metastatic disease. The patient was subsequently euthanased two months later due to complications of concurrent but unrelated hepatic disease.