Indiscriminate breeding and congenital heart diseases in dogs

Madras Veterinary College organizes international workshop on interventional cardiology in pets to address congenital heart diseases in dogs.

As indiscriminate breeding of non-native dog breeds has resulted in a slew of health problems, including congenital heart disease (CHD), the Madras Veterinary College (MVC) in Vepery, organised a three-day international workshop in Interventional Cardiology in Veterinary Practice.

Experts said selection of popular breeds by pet lovers were never influenced by the pet’s health needs and longevity of life, and it had resulted in the increase of CHD. They opted for breeds that are fashionable or a status symbol and do not care about the social context in which the breeds should be introduced or the health problems from which they may suffer.

“Studies show that a lot of people buy breeds of dog that are predisposed to CHD. The owners are not often fully aware of the potential problems their dog may face, prior to acquisition of a dog. It is also possible that owners do not perceive the clinical signs of some inherited cardiac disorders as problems, but rather as normal, breed-specific characteristics, including murmurs in Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and other breeds,” said P. Selvaraj, professor, MVC.

He said though veterinarians treat the animals for acquired heart diseases, they failed to diagnose congenital conditions. They needed more advanced skills to diagnose and manage congenital heart diseases in pets.

“Experts now think that an effective breeding programme should start by screening these dogs for congenital diseases and educating owners about the health problems of a breed. If the owners are not motivated to buy a healthy breed, it can pave the way for generations of dogs with inherent health problems,” Mr. Selvaraj said.

Randolph L. Winter from Auburn University, United States, an expert in managing CHD in dogs using advanced procedures, such as interventional cardiology procedures, made a presentation during the workshop. He explained how even dogs weighing just a kilogram could be saved through minimal interventional procedures.

Mr. Selvaraj said this workshop would help build advanced capabilities in India for managing some of these fatal heart diseases, such as pulmonic stenosis, subaortic stenosis, patent ductus arteriosus, mitral valve dysplasia, ventricular septal defects, and tricuspid valve dysplasia, in animals by using catheter-based interventional procedures.