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Echocardiographic reference ranges for sedentary donkeys in the UK
Author(s) -
Roberts S. L.,
DukesMcEwan J.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
veterinary record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.261
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2042-7670
pISSN - 0042-4900
DOI - 10.1136/vr.103734
Subject(s) - medicine , reference range , cardiology , diastole , population , body surface area , reference values , blood pressure , environmental health
The aim of this study was to provide two‐dimensional (2D) and M‐mode echocardiographic reference ranges from a sample of the UK population of donkeys including geriatrics (>30 years), owned by The Donkey Sanctuary, and to assess the influence of gender, weight and age on these variables. A total of 36 donkeys with no clinical or echocardiographic evidence of cardiovascular disease were examined; 24 geldings and 12 females, aged 3–45 years old, weighing 130–262 kg. Left atrial to aortic ratio was larger in geldings (P=0.004). There was no significant difference for left ventricular M‐mode diastolic diameter between females and geldings (P=0.121) after exclusion of one heavy female outlier. 2D measurements significantly increased with bodyweight including maximal left atrial diameter (R 2 =0.112; P=0.046), aortic diameter at various levels (e.g. annulus: R 2 =0.35; P<0.001) and the pulmonary artery diameter (R 2 =0.124; P=0.035). M‐mode measurements were not significantly influenced by weight other than the left ventricular free wall in systole (R 2 =0.118; P=0.041). Age and heart rate did not have any significant effect on echocardiographic variables. This is the first UK study to report on echocardiographic reference ranges of sedentary donkeys across a wide age range and shows differences compared with reference ranges from working donkeys.

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