Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in Dalmatians: nine cases (1990-1995).
OBJECTIVE
To describe the historical, clinical, and echocardiographic findings in Dalmatians with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).


METHODS
Retrospective case series.


METHODS
9 Dalmatians with a diagnosis of DCM and congestive heart failure (CHF), 9 Doberman Pinschers with DCM and CHF, and 9 dogs of other breeds with DCM and CHF.


METHODS
Disease history; signalment; physical, radiographic, and echocardiographic examination findings; treatment; and outcome from medical records were analyzed.


RESULTS
All Dalmatians were male, with a mean age of 6.8 years. Eight dogs had been fed a commercially available low-protein diet formulated for the prevention of urate uroliths. All dogs had clinical signs consistent with left-sided CHF and had marked left ventricular systolic dysfunction and severe left ventricular dilatation, although arrhythmias were not an important finding in this series of dogs. Median duration of survival was 10 months.


CONCLUSIONS
The DCM syndrome in Dalmatians has some qualities that are distinct from DCM in other breeds of dogs.
School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.
L M
LM
Freeman
K E
KE
Michel
D J
DJ
Brown
P M
PM
Kaplan
M E
ME
Stamoulis
S L
SL
Rosenthal
B W
BW
Keene
J E
JE
Rush
D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy; D004285:Dogs; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000662:veterinary; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000662:veterinary; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies