Evaluation of Cardiac Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis of Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs

Cardiac biomarkers play a crucial role in diagnosing heart disease in veterinary medicine. This collaborative study, involving 2497 dogs of various breeds, ages, and genders, was conducted collaboratively at the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary and Animal Science, RAJUVAS, Bikaner, and the Chandrika Chimanlal Doshi Cardiovascular Unit for Animals, Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, Ethics, and Jurisprudence, Bombay Veterinary College, Parel, Mumbai-12.Through meticulous examination, including historical analysis, clinical evaluation, and advanced diagnostic techniques like echocardiography, researchers conclusively diagnosed 29 cases of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Canine-specific cardiac Troponin I (cTnI) levels were measured, showing significant differences between healthy and DCM-affected dogs. Among DCM cases, bilaterally affected dogs exhibited the highest cTnI levels. Similarly, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) analysis revealed significant differences between healthy and DCM-affected dogs, with notably elevated levels in bilaterally affected dogs. N-Terminal-pro-BNP analysis also indicated significant differences between healthy and DCM-affected dogs.

However, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) analysis showed no significant differences between healthy and DCM-affected dogs, except for lower levels observed in right DCM cases. Endothelin 1 analysis showed non-significant differences between healthy and DCM-affected dogs, except for higher levels in bilateral DCM cases.

While these biomarkers offer promising diagnostic insights, they have limitations. Proper sample handling, longer turnaround times, and the necessity for concurrent analysis of renal and hepatic function are crucial considerations. Additionally, these biomarkers complement but do not replace other diagnostic methods such as radiography and echocardiography. Further research in larger dog populations is warranted to validate and refine these findings.