The pathology of some spontaneous cardiovascular diseases in the dog

Abstract

This thesis describes the nature, frequency and severity of some spontaneous cardiovascular diseases in a series of 200 unseleeted doge. This study concentrated on two conditions, chronic valvular disease and arteriosclerosis.It was established that chronic valvular disease was a mucoid degeneration of the spongiosis and fibrosa of the valves. These lesions occurred with the greatest frequency and severity in the left atrioventricular valve where thoy g&vo rise to valvular insufficiency and congootivo heart failure in 6.C1' of cases. Similar lesions occurred in the other heart valves but they were rarely associated with clinical disease. It was shown that chronic valvular disease increases in frequency and severity with advancing age, particularly in the left atrioventricular valve. These lesions tended to develop more rapidly in the male than in the female and did not appear to have any breed predisposition, nor were they associated with diseases in any particular body system. Age emerged as the most important single aetiological factor.Two different changes were seen in the posterior aorta and coronary circulation. One, a fibrous intimal plaque of no clinical significance and tho other an amyloid degeneration of the intramural coronary vessels of the left ventricle. This lesion may have some clinical significance when associated with chronic valvular disease.Other cardiovascular diseases were observed and recorded.