Maternal Left Ventricular Diastolic and Systolic Function during Normal Pregnancy in Saint Bernard Dogs

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate maternal left ventricular (LV) systo-diastolic function using conventional and TDI echocardiography and included 10 healthy Saint-Bernard pregnant bitches. M-mode, peak transmitral flow velocities during early diastole (E) and atrial contraction (A), aortic and pulmonic flow, myocardial performance index (MPI), TDI studies (peak myocardial velocities during early diastole (E’), atrial contraction (A’) and peak systole (S’)), and blood pressure were measured at 21 to 28 (T1), 40 (T2) and 60 (T3) days of gestation and four to eight weeks postpartum (T4). Cardiac output and heart rate were 20% and 9% higher at T3, respectively, compared to T4 (p p p p p p p < 0.05). The echocardiographic evaluation of maternal cardiac function is important, as structural, and functional changes occur throughout pregnancy.

Keywords

• dog
• maternal cardiac function
• doppler echocardiography
• tissue doppler imaging