Open AccessFamilial Ventricular Arrhythmias in Boxers
Author(s) -
Meurs Kathryn M.,
Spier Alan W.,
Miller Matthew W.,
Lehmkuhl Linda,
Towbin Jeffrey A.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-1676.1999.tb01460.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pedigree chart , cardiology , ambulatory , autosomal recessive trait , genetics , gene , biology
The purposes of this study were to evaluate families of Boxers with ventricular arrhythmias to determine whether this disorder is a familial trait and, if so, to determine the mode of inheritance. Eighty‐two Boxers were evaluated by physical examination, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and 24‐hour ambulatory electrocardiogram. Dogs were considered affected if at least 50 premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) were observed during a 24‐hour period. All dogs were at least 6 years of age at evaluation. Complete cardiovascular examinations were performed on dogs from 6 extended families. The 2 most complete pedigrees were used to determine the pattern of inheritance. The number of PVCs observed during a 24‐hour period in affected dogs ranged from 112 to 4,894 (mean ± SD, median; 1,309 ± 2,609, 1,017). The number of PVCs observed during a 24‐hour period in the unaffected dogs ranged from 0 to 16 (7 ± 10, 12). Pedigree evaluation was performed to determine pattern of inheritance. An autosomal dominant pattern was determined to be most likely because a sex predisposition was not observed, affected individuals were observed in every generation, and 2 affected individuals produced unaffected offspring. We conclude that familial ventricular arrhythmias is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait in some Boxers.