title: A quantitative study of cardiac ventricular mass in dogs.
abstract: This study was undertaken to determine the correlations between heart weight, ventricular weight and body weight in adult dogs. A total of 130 dogs was selected for the study after necropsy and histological examination. The body weights (BW) were obtained and a standardized dissection technique was used to obtain the total heart weight (HW), total ventricular mass (VW), right ventricular mass (RvW) and the left ventricular plus the interventricular septum mass (Lv + SW). A strong and significant correlation was found between all variables (BW, HW, VW, Lv + SW and RvW). The following ratios were calculated: HW/BW, RvW/BW, Lv + SW/BW, RvW/VW, Lv + SW/VW, RvW/HW, Lv + SW/HW and Lv + SW/RvW. No sex effect was observed on any ratios. A straight linear relationship was observed between HW and Lv + SW or RvW and between Lv + SW and RvW. The ratios Lv + SW/HW, RvW/HW and Lv + SW/RvW could then be used to predict a normal value of Lv + SW or RvW from a known HW value, or a normal value of Lv + SW from a known RvW value. The relations between BW and HW, Lv + SW or RvW were best described by second order equations. Such equations should be utilized to predict a normal value of HW, Lv + SW or RvW from a known BW value.
authors.affiliation: Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Bienvenu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Drolet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D004285:Dogs / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics