title: Atrioventricular valvular anomalies and their role in the etiopathogenesis of cardiorespiratory syndrome in farmed common foxes (Vulpes vulpes).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiorespiratory syndrome of common foxes is associated with a mortality rate ranging from 2.1% to 20%.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of cardiac abnormalities in common foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Polish farms with a history of cardiorespiratory syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalence of cardiac abnormalities in common foxes from a Polish farm with a history of cardiorespiratory syndrome was assessed as well as morphological examination of 60 heart specimens from clinically healthy animals. In addition, 38 foxes were examined echocardiographically and subjected to postmortem examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atrioventricular valvular abnormalities were found in 57 out of the 98 (58%) analyzed hearts. The abnormalities of the mitral valve documented in more than 20% of the foxes in involved tendinous chords (completely lacking or shortened), papillary muscles and mitral cusps associated with both insufficiency and stenosis of the left atrioventricular orifice. Abnormalities of the tricuspid valve included significant shortening of the tendinous chords and thickening of the valve cusps with the impairment of their mobility. The results of the echocardiographic and postmortem examination were consistent in 79% of the cases. The specimens collected from animals with and without atrioventricular valvular anomalies did not differ significantly in terms of cardiomyocyte width, number of inflammatory cells, adipose tissue content and presence of polychromatic cardiomyocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Congenital atrioventricular valvular defects may be involved in the etiology of cardiorespiratory syndrome in common foxes, and echocardiography can be used as a measure of stock's health and a criterion for selection for mating.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine with Clinic of Horses, Dogs and Cats , Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences , Grunwaldzki Sq. 47, 50-366 Wroclaw , Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noszczyk-Nowak
authors.affiliation: b Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Epizootiology with Clinic of Birds and Exotic Animals , Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences , 45 Grunwaldzki Sq., 50-360 Wroclaw , Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Piasecki
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine with Clinic of Horses, Dogs and Cats , Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences , Grunwaldzki Sq. 47, 50-366 Wroclaw , Poland.
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cepiel
authors.affiliation: c Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology , Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences , 31 C.K. Norwida St., 50-375 Wroclaw , Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.affiliation: c Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology , Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences , 31 C.K. Norwida St., 50-375 Wroclaw , Poland.
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Janus
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine with Clinic of Horses, Dogs and Cats , Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences , Grunwaldzki Sq. 47, 50-366 Wroclaw , Poland.
authors.forename: Urszula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pasławska
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005589:Foxes; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000002:abnormalities*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Common fox; Vulpes vulpes; cardiorespiratory syndrome; congenital defect; valvular anomalies