Research Communications of the 27(th) ECVIM-CA Congress: Intercontinental, Saint Julian's, Malta, 14th to 16th September 2017

Disclosures: Disclosures to report. PetPlan Charitable Trust funded this research. Golden retriever dogs were over-represented and had a higher occurrence of idiopathic CT. Mixed breed dogs were under-represented. PC at the Cardiology Service, ascites upon presentation, an idiopathic CT, and pericardiectomy, were associated with a higher, while pallor and an inability to ambulate upon presentation were associated with a lower 30-day survival rate. Survival rates did not differ between dogs undergoing PC from the right or the left hemithorax. Survival rates did not differ between dogs undergoing a single and those undergoing several PCs. However, median time-intervals from the first-to-second and from the second-to-third PCs were significantly longer in survivors compared to non-survivors (35 vs. 9, P = 0.001, and 21 vs. 5 days, P = 0.04, respectively). Two dogs died prior to PC completion. Seven dogs had an underlying myxomatous mitral valve disease. Four of these were Dachshunds, of which three had a left atrial-wall rupture leading to an acute, hemorrhagic CT. In the remaining three, the pericardial effusate was a modified transudate. In 31 dogs the drained effusate volume in the first PC significantly and positively correlated (r = 0.77, P < 0.0001) with the pre-PC sonographic apex-to-pericardial distance. There was no association between apex-to-pericardial distance (P = 0.086) or volume of fluid drained during PC (P = 0.5) with the 30-day survival. Generally, dogs presenting with CT have a poor long-term prognosis. However, Golden retrievers, dogs selected for surgical pericardiectomy, those that present with ascites, without pallor, and are ambulatory and those with longer inter-pericardiocentesis intervals have higher survival rates. Survival rate is not affected by the side of hemithorax from which pericardiocentesis is performed. The total atrial conduction time is an independent predictor of atrial fibrillation (AF) in humans. It can be estimated by pulsedwave tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) by measuring the time from onset of the P wave until the peak of A' velocity of the lateral left atrial wall (P-PA'). A prolongation of P-PA' identifies people at high risk of development of AF. This study investigated echocardiographic variables (including P-PA' measured with Color TDI) which may identify dogs which developed AF within 6 months. All dogs with AF were retrospectively reviewed. Those that developed a new-onset AF within 6 months after previous echo were included in the AF group. Dogs with underlying cardiac disease that did not develop AF within 6 months after echo were also reviewed and included in the non-AF group. The non-AF group were selected to have similar body weight (BW) and left atrial dilatation (2D LA:Ao) to the AF group. P-PA' durations were measured offline from archived color TDI images by placing the region of interest over the interatrial septum (color P-PA' IAS ) and lateral left atrial wall (color P-PA' lateral ). P-PA' durations and echo variables of 2D, M-Mode and pulsed-wave TDI (S', E' and A' velocities) were compared between groups. Receiving operator characteristic curves were used to identify the best AF predictor. 65 dogs were included (22 AF; 43 non-AF). Degenerative mitral valve disease and dilated cardiomyopathy were the most frequent cardiac diseases in both groups. Risk of new-onset AF was not associated with a specific breed, gender, neutering status, or cardiac disease. BW, LA:Ao and color P-P