Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in Bulldogs: Evaluation of clinical and histopathologic features, progression, and outcome in 71 dogs (2004–2016)

• Published in: Journal of veterinary cardiology 2022-04, Vol.40, p.170-183
• Main Authors: Holdt, S.L., Peckens, N.K., Rosenthal, S., Cober, R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Arrhythmia; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - veterinary; Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia - genetics; Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia - veterinary; Dog Diseases - diagnosis; Dogs; Heart Atria; Heart failure; Retrospective Studies; Striatin; Syncope
• ISSN: 1760-2734; 1875-0834
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jvc.2021.10.003

This study aimed to characterize the clinical and histopathological features of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) in English Bulldogs, American Bulldogs, and Bulldog-type mixed breed dogs and assess affected Bulldogs for a striatin gene mutation previously reported in Boxers with ARVC. Seventy-one Bulldogs fit the inclusion criteria. Genetic analysis was performed on five dogs. Cardiac post-mortem evaluations were performed on two dogs. Medical records from a single veterinary cardiology group (CVCA) were retrospectively evaluated. Tissue and blood samples were submitted for histopathological analysis and genetic testing in select patients. Presenting complaints included syncope (38%), arrhythmia (81.7%), or murmur (34.2%) documented on examination. On presentation, congestive heart failure (CHF) was diagnosed in 22 (31%) dogs, and 58 (81.7%) had ventricular arrhythmias. On bivariable analyses, the two-dimensional (2D) left atrial-to-aortic root ratio (LA:Ao) was the only prognostic variable significantly associated with survival time. Dogs with 2D LA:Ao below the mean (1.41) had longer median survival to all-cause mortality (12 months; 95% confidence interval [CI] six–15 months) than those with 2D LA:Ao above the mean (four months; 95% CI two–six months; p=0.0384). Most dogs (54%) died from cardiac disease, with 42.1% experiencing sudden death. The median time from diagnosis to cardiac death was four months. Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy affects Bulldogs with both arrhythmogenic and dilated-type phenotypes. Despite variable arrhythmia severity and predominantly right-sided involvement in many dogs, an increase in left atrial size was the only significant predictor of mortality in this sample of dogs.