title: Congenital heart disease in boxer dogs: results of 6 years of breed screening.
abstract: The aim of this study was to analyse the results of 6years (1999-2004) of mandatory breed screening for congenital heart disease in Boxer dogs using physical examination and echocardiography. Records of 1283 Boxers were reviewed and 165 dogs (12.86%) were found to be affected by heart disease, with aortic and pulmonic stenosis being the most frequent cardiac lesions. Comparison of these results with those of a previous survey showed a lower overall prevalence of both outflow obstructions, particularly of the more severe forms. A male predisposition for both aortic and pulmonic stenosis was evident from the study. Consistent with reports from other countries, soft left basilar heart murmurs were detected in both healthy dogs and dogs affected with congenital heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Cardiovascolare, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bussadori
authors.forename: Danitza
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pradelli
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borgarelli
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chiavegato
authors.forename: Gino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Agnolo
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Menegazzo
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Migliorini
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Santilli
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zani
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Quintavalla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D006337:Heart Murmurs / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male