Case Study

Boxer Cardiomyopathy End Stage or Dilated Cardiomyopathy in a 6 year old Boxer Dog presenting for Exercise Intollerance and Cough

A 6-year-old NM Boxer dog was presented for lethargy, cough, tachypnea, exercise intollerance. Physical exam revelaed a 2/6 left sided heart murmur and mild tachypnea and arrhythmia. The only abnormality on laboratory work was elevated amylase and creatinine.

A 6-year-old NM Boxer dog was presented for lethargy, cough, tachypnea, exercise intollerance. Physical exam revelaed a 2/6 left sided heart murmur and mild tachypnea and arrhythmia. The only abnormality on laboratory work was elevated amylase and creatinine.

Sonographic Differential Diagnosis

End stage boxer cardiomyopathy or dilated cardiomyopathy. Taurine level is recommended. Sotalol to control arrhythmia, Pimobendan at 0.25 mg/kg b.i.d., ace inhibitor at 0.5 mg/kg b.i.d. A recheck Holter monitor is recommended in 7 days. The patient is at risk for sudden death.

Image Interpretation

The cardiac presentation in this patient presented mild myocardial remodeling with persistent irregular arrhythmia. Left ventricular internal diameter was excessive. Contractility was poor. EPSS was excessive. Left atrial size was mildly prominent. Mitral valve insufficiency was also present, yet mild. The right atrium was mildly prominent and the tricuspid valve was otherwise unremarkable. No pericardial effusion was evident. This is most consistent with dilated cardiomyopathy or end stage boxer cardiomyopathy with volume overload and persistent arrhythmia and myocardial insufficiency.