Mitral Valve Disease


  • 10 year old Cairn Terrier with history of stopping breathing for 30s, OR trying to catch a breath but can’t
  • No video or episode seen by vet. Bloods ALP>>ALT, high cholesterol. 
  • Was intermittently tachycardic with mitral regurg and severely dilated LA with increased E A velocity on mitral inflow, the papillary muscles were hyperechoic
  • This does not seem like a straight forward case of MMVD, why such high atrial pressures without CHF and what could be causing papillary muscle changes?
    • 10 year old Cairn Terrier with history of stopping breathing for 30s, OR trying to catch a breath but can’t
    • No video or episode seen by vet. Bloods ALP>>ALT, high cholesterol. 
    • Was intermittently tachycardic with mitral regurg and severely dilated LA with increased E A velocity on mitral inflow, the papillary muscles were hyperechoic
    • This does not seem like a straight forward case of MMVD, why such high atrial pressures without CHF and what could be causing papillary muscle changes?
    • Systemic blood pressure and abdominal scan advised but not done to date. 

2 responses to “Mitral Valve Disease”

  1. Hi
    Based on inflow profiles

    Hi

    Based on inflow profiles this dog likely has mitral stenosis (not “only” regurgitation). So likely some congenital component.  Sometimes, these dogs also have some obstruction to left ventricular outflow. Did you measure vmax along the LVOT?. This would explain the hyperechoic papillary muscles. Re breathing problems: I would as well take epiglottic retroversion into consideration (Veterinary surgery :

    Intraoperative and major postoperative complications and

    survival of dogs undergoing surgical management of epiglottic

    retroversion: 50 dogs (2003-2017)

     

    Peter

  2. Thank you Peter, the mitral

    Thank you Peter, the mitral stenosis makes sense. 

    The outflow velocity at the aortic valve was normal.

    Interesting about the upper airway disease. 

    Thanks as always.

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