title: Familial subvalvular aortic stenosis in golden retrievers: inheritance and echocardiographic findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the echocardiographic findings and pedigree analysis of golden retrievers with subvalvular aortic stenosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-three golden retrievers were evaluated by auscultation and echocardiography. A subcostal continuous-wave Doppler aortic velocity ê2·5 m/s and presence of a left basilar systolic ejection murmur were required for diagnosis of subvalvular aortic stenosis. Three echocardiographic characteristics were recorded: evidence of aortic insufficiency, subvalvular ridge or left ventricular hypertrophy. A disease status score was calculated by totalling the number of echocardiographic -characteristics per subject.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-two of 73 dogs were affected and their aortic velocities were as follows: range 2·5 to 6·8 m/s, median 3·4 m/s and standard deviation 1·2 m/s. Echocardiographic characteristics of 32 affected dogs were distributed as follows: left ventricular hypertrophy 12 of 32, aortic insufficiency 20 of 32 and subvalvular ridge 20 of 32. Disease status score ranged from 0 to 3 with a median of 2. There was a statistically significant correlation between aortic velocity and disease status score (r=0·644, P<0·0001). Subvalvular aortic stenosis was observed in multiple generations of several families and appears familial.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subvalvular aortic stenosis in the golden retriever is familial. Severity of stenosis correlates well with cumulative presence of echocardiographic characteristics (left ventricular hypertrophy, subvalvular ridge and aortic insufficiency).
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Meurs
authors.forename: O L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lahmers
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Lehmkuhl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001020:Aortic Stenosis, Subvalvular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000235:genetics*; D004285:Dogs; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D012720:Severity of Illness Index