Background: Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) is a common right ventricular (RV) function indicator. However, TAPSE was not decreased in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and postcapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) because of its load, angle, and body weight dependency, and TAPSE was considered a preload-dependent index.

PurposeRecently, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been tested in veterinary medicine as a treatment option for multiple gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, there are no reports of changes in the microbial diversity of fecal microbiome after treatment with FMT in canine IBD cases. Moreover, little is known about the long-term efficacy and safety of FMT treatment for dogs. Herein, we present a case of canine intractable IBD treated with repeated, long-term FMT.Patients and methodsThe patient was a 10-year-old, neutered, male, 4-kg Toy Poodle with a prolonged history of vomiting and diarrhea. Fecal examination for pathogens was negative. Despite treatment with multiple antibacterial and antidiarrheal agents, the patient showed no improvement. Endoscopic mucus sampling diagnosed a case of lymphocytic-plasmacytic duodenitis, ie, idiopathic IBD. Eventually, we performed periodic, long-term fecal microbiota transplantation of fresh donor feces collected from a 4-year-old, 32.8-kg, neutered male Golden Retriever by rectal enema. Additionally, we performed 16S rRNA sequence analysis, before and after FMT, to evaluate the microbiome diversity.ResultsFecal microbiome diversity after FMT resembled that of the healthy donor dog’s fecal microbiome, before FMT, which led us to conclude that the fecal microbiome in our patient normalized with FMT. Moreover, the clinical symptoms improved remarkably with regard to the changes in the fecal microbiome. Additionally, we noted no observable side effects during FMT treatment.ConclusionThis report indicates the efficacy and safety of long-term, periodic FMT for a case of canine IBD based on attenuation of clinical symptoms and changes in fecal microbiome diversity. Therefore, FMT could be chosen as a treatment option for IBD in canines in the future.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a life-threatening disease in dogs characterized by an increase in pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and/or pulmonary vascular resistance. Right ventricle adapts to its pressure overload through various right ventricular (RV) compensative mechanisms: adaptive and maladaptive remodeling. The former is characterized by concentric hypertrophy and increased compensatory myocardial contractility, whereas the latter is distinguished by eccentric hypertrophy associated with impaired myocardial function.Objectives: To evaluate the RV adaptation associated with the increase of PAP using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography.Animals: Seven experimentally induced PH models.Methods: Dogs were anesthetized and then a pulmonary artery catheter was placed via the right jugular vein. Canine models of PH were induced by the repeated injection of microspheres through the catheter and monitored pulmonary artery pressure. Dogs were performed echocardiography and hemodynamic measurements in a conscious state when baseline and systolic PAP (sPAP) rose to 30, 40, 50 mmHg, and chronic phase. The chronic phase was defined that the sPAP was maintained at 50 mmHg or more for 4 weeks without injection of microspheres.Results: Pulmonary artery to aortic diameter ratio, RV area, end-diastolic RV wall thickness, and RV myocardial performance index were significantly increased in the chronic phase compared with that in the baseline. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion was significantly decreased in the chronic phase compared with that in the baseline. The RV longitudinal strain was significantly decreased in the sPAP30 phase, increased in the sPAP40 and sPAP50 phases, and decreased in the chronic phase.Conclusions: Changes in two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography-derived RV longitudinal strain might reflect the intrinsic RV myocardial contractility during the PH progression, which could not be detected by conventional echocardiographic parameters.

Post-capillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a life-threatening complication in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). An increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is associated with post-capillary PH progression. In humans, PVR estimated by echocardiography (PVRecho) enables the non-invasive assessment of PVR in patients with PH. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of PVRecho in dogs with MMVD, PH probability, and right-sided congestive heart failure (R-CHF). Dogs with MMVD and detectable tricuspid valve regurgitation were included in the study. Dogs were classified into three PH probability groups (low/intermediate/high) and according to the presence or absence of R-CHF. All dogs underwent echocardiographic measurements for right ventricular (RV) morphology and function. PVRecho was calculated by two methods using tricuspid valve regurgitation velocity and velocity–time integral of the pulmonary artery flow (PVRecho and PVRecho2). RV size indicators were significantly higher with a higher probability of PH. RV strain and velocity–time integral of the pulmonary artery flow in the high probability group were significantly lower than those in the other groups. Tricuspid valve regurgitation velocity, PVRecho, and PVRecho2 were significantly higher with an increase in PH probability. Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between the presence of R-CHF and increased PVRecho2 and end-diastolic RV internal dimension normalized by body weight. PVRecho and PVRecho2 showed significant differences among the PH probability groups. These non-invasive variables may be useful for the diagnosis and stratification of PH and the determination of the presence of R-CHF in dogs with MMVD.

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