Effect of treadmill training in the canine heart size: Preliminary report

PELLEGRINO FJ; RISSO A; SEGURA P; PRÍO V; SIRINI M; ARIAS D; CORRADA Y

Mar del Plata

Jornada; 8vas Jornadas Internacionales de Veterinaria Práctica; 2013

Colegio de Veterinarios de la provincia de Buenos Aires

Endurance exercise causes cardiac enlargement due to eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy. The vertebral heart score (VHS) is a method for measuring heart size relative to vertebral length in thoracic radiographs in the dog. There are not available studies VHS and its relation to aerobic training. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cardiomegaly produced by the canine treadmill training through VHS. Nine, 2 to 5 years old, 28.35 + 6.17 Kg healthy dogs were included in this study during 3 month period. Four weeks prior to the experiment, two times for week, the dogs were submitted an adaptation period of minimal exercise (consists of 8 min at 2kph) in motorized treadmill (DobleXX, Argentina). Finished this period, began training on a motorized treadmill for 3 month, twice week. Each exercise session included 2 min at 5 kph and 8 min at 10 kph. The VHS was determined for all dogs. Measurements were performed at weeks 1, 4, 8 and 12. Throughout the study was observed by VHS a significant increase in heart size (p