Atrial Fibrillation in Eight New World Camelids

Abstract

BackgroundThere is limited information on the incidence of clinical signs, concurrent illness and treatment options for atrial fibrillation (AF) in New World Camelids (NWC).ObjectiveDescribe clinical signs and outcome of AF in NWC.AnimalsEight New World Camelids admitted with AF.MethodsA retrospective observational study of camelids diagnosed with AF based on characteristic findings on electrocardiogram (ECG).ResultsAll animals had an irregularly irregular heart rhythm detected on physical examination and 4 cases had obtunded mentation on admission. Three camelids were diagnosed with AF secondary to oleander intoxication, 3 animals had underlying cardiovascular disease, 1 was diagnosed with lone AF and 1 had AF diagnosed on examination for a urethral obstruction. Five of eight animals survived to discharge and nonsurvivors consisted of animals which died or were euthanized as a result of cardiovascular disease (2/8) or extra‐cardiac disease unrelated to the AF (1/8).Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceAtrial fibrillation occurs in NWC in association with cardiovascular disease, extra‐cardiac disease or as lone AF. Amiodarone and transthoracic cardioversion were attempted in one llama with lone AF, but were unsuccessful. Atrial fibrillation was recorded in 0.1% of admissions.

Anti‐arrhythmic investigations in large animal models of atrial fibrillation

“…AF has been described in both llamas (body weight 130–200 kg) and alpacas (body weight 50–80 kg) with concomitant systemic or cardiac diseases (Bozorgmanesh et al, 2016). Although the dromedary camel is larger (body weight 300–600 kg) and used extensively for racing in the Arabian countries, only one case report describes AF in an apparently clinical healthy dromedary camel, indicating that AF is not a common disease in these athletic animals (Pourjafar et al, 2011).…”

Pedigree analysis of atrial fibrillation in Irish wolfhounds supports a high heritability with a dominant mode of inheritance

“…For example, an individual’s risk of developing AF increases if their parent or first degree relative has AF [14, 15]. Despite AF being described in several veterinary species [16–19], the only species with a reported heritability for AF is the Standardbred racehorse [20].…”