title: Practices and outcome of artificial cardiac pacing in 154 dogs.
abstract: Artificial pacing (AP) is a treatment for symptomatic bradyarrhythmias unresponsive to medical therapy. This retrospective study was designed to define the practices and outcome of AP in dogs at 7 referral institutions participating in the Companion Animal Pacemaker Registry and Repository (CANPACERS). The indications, implantation techniques, complications, long-term outcome, and owner satisfaction were examined. One hundred fifty-four dogs were identified as undergoing AP from January 1, 1991, to January 1, 1996. Third-degree atrioventricular (AV) block (n = 91; 59%) and sinus node dysfunction (n = 45; 29%) were the most common indications for AP Transvenous endocardial AP systems were implanted in 136 dogs (88%), and epicardial systems were implanted in 18 (12%). Complications associated with AP were reported in 84 dogs (55%). Major complications occurred in 51 dogs (33%), including dislodgement of the pacing lead (n = 15; 10%), generator failure (n = 10; 6%), cardiac arrest during implantation (n = 9; 6%), and infection (n = 7; 5%). Minor complications occurred in 47 dogs (31%), including seroma formation (n = 18; 12%), muscle twitch (n = 17; 11%), and inconsequential arrhythmias (n = 15; 10%). Fourteen dogs (9%) experienced both major and minor complications. Survival analysis revealed 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates of 70, 57, and 45%, respectively. Age and presence of preexisting congestive heart failure (CHF) had a negative effect on survival (P = .001). Sixty percent of dogs with preexisting CHF died within 1 year of implantation, whereas 25% of dogs without heart failure died during the same period. Owners rated their satisfaction with the procedure as high in 80% of the dogs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801, USA. oyama@uiuc.edu
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oyama
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Sisson
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Lehmkuhl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011996:Records / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data