Echocardiographic evaluation of working dogs of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro: effects of the breed and body weight

Abstract

The Military Police of Rio de Janeiro state use dogs as a decisive tool for patrol and detection of drugs, weapons, and explosives. Complementary tests, such as echocardiography, are essential to maintain the integrity of these animals. This study aimed to evaluate the echocardiographic parameters of the working dogs belonging to the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro and compare them with the available data. Echocardiographic evaluation was performed on 48 healthy adult dogs from the Canine Action Battalion of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The sample consisted of 13 Labrador Retrievers, 12 Malinois Belgian Shepherds, 10 German Shepherds, 8 Dobermann Pinschers, and 5 Dutch Shepherds. Echocardiographic variables were correlated with body weight (BW). A positive correlation (P=0.0142, r=0.6837) between BW and the diameter of the left atrium was found in Malinois Belgian Shepherds. In German Shepherds, a positive correlation between BW and the internal diameter of the right ventricle during diastole (P=0.0320, r=0.6757) was observed; in addition, a positive correlation between BW and left ventricular internal diameter (P=0.0344, r=0.6689) during diastole was also found. Echocardiographic evaluations of these working dogs differed slightly from those previously established for similar-sized dog breeds.

M-Mode Echocardiography in Canine Veterinary Practice: A Comprehensive Review of Left Ventricular Measurements in 44 Different Dog Breeds

“…Each study was based on a different number of individuals. Some breeds exhibited similar values to previous studies, while others showed slight variations, possibly due to factors like somatotype and physical activity levels [2,31,44,48].…”

“…One German Shepherd study showed a significant relationship between gender and left ventricular posterior wall thickness in systole and diastole [25]. The other two studies [2,26] could not confirm this difference as the authors did not present different information for males and females. Male Kangal dogs had higher left ventricular posterior wall thickness than females [50].…”

“…For example, the mean values for ISTd, ISTs, LVWTd, and LVWTs in Dobermann Pinschers, Malinois, and Dutch Shepherds were similar to those reported in previous studies [ 17 , 43 , 62 , 63 , 64 ]. However, Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds exhibited slightly higher mean values than Dobermann Pinschers, Malinois, and Dutch Shepherds, possibly due to variations in somatotype [ 2 ]. In small breeds, LVIDdN values significantly vary; for instance, Miniature Poodles had a reported LVIDdN of 1.6 ± 0.4, while Toy Poodles, with their smaller size (<5.0 kg), displayed a lower LVIDdN value of 1.342 ± 0.1164 [ 14 , 19 ].…”

“…Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) has been routinely used in veterinary medicine since the early 1980s to assess the dynamic morphology and function of the canine heart [ 1 , 2 ]. A-mode (amplitude mode) echocardiography was first used where reflected echoes were displayed as peaks on an oscilloscopic monitor [ 3 ].…”

Electrocardiographic changes and changes in cardiac lactate and troponin I levels associated with search and rescue physical activity in military dogs

“…Dogs have been used more frequently by men as a work tool (Gordon, 2018;Lima et al, 2022), and one of the activities in which they are widely used is the search, rescue, and recovery service of the military organs (Corpo de Bombeiros Militar de Goiás, 2020; Moraes et al, 2017). This activity triggers significant metabolic changes (Diverio et al, 2016;Rovira et al, 2008) that begin as a consequence of the physical training routine that occurs from the first year of life of the animal and lasts throughout its useful life in the military service (Corpo de Bombeiros Militar de Goiás, 2020).…”