DCM Heart Test

[tasha]

Does anyone have a copy of their heart test results and an explanation of how the test was carried out and what they did that I can have copies of??

I'd like to undertake the dutch heart test for DCM and my vets have agreed to help me arrange it here but they need more specific description of the tests undertaken.

thanks
tasha x

[marjolein]

I'll send them to you.

[Rachel]

What is involved in the heart test ?
Rachel

[tasha]

well I went off to have the dogs heart tested today which was not exactly easy because Bonnie is in season and graf being a sex pest so bonnie went in first all waggy with the vet and came out ten minutes later because the surgery was needed for an emergency.

Someones poor dog had been run over and when they brought him in he was a real mess, I'd hate to see what hit him but the driver didn't stop and the owners were left to pick up the pieces.

So we are back to the vets on thursday or friday when both theatres will be available and the two main vets will be on hand to do the tests. Take approximately two hours to do it according to my vet but I'm not sure if thats setting everything up as well or if thats how long the test itself takes to do.

Did any of you leave your dogs there or were you allowed in with them when the tests were done?

My vet did give me a bit of a lecture though because he can hear no irregularities in either of the dogs and doesn't understand why I am so insistant upon having this test done. I can see his point to a degree its always stressful for a dog to go to the vets especially as the test is only a snap shot the same as the Hip Scoring and not a definite result as is the blood test thats available but I'm still pushing ahead.

Hopefully the next visit will be a bit more successful.

[weima]

Why do you want the heart test done? What are you hoping to gain from this information?

[tasha]

its more to comply with the Dutch clubs health testing for breeding... I'm possibly moving to holland and Graf will be returning there what ever happens so I'm going to participate in their study. As with everything like this its more for my interest than anything.

[marjolein]

DCM is hereditary and we've had quite a few dogs over here dying way too young b/c of this dreadful condition. At the moment we're inventarising (sp?) the problem in the breed by doing ultrasounds. Every dog and bitch that are bred with need to be done prior to the mating.
There is a blood test available, but not yet in Holland. Until the test is available, we keep on scanning.

[weima]

Thanks Tash & Mar. I wasn't being funny about it I was just curious to know why.
It is worrying if so many dogs are dying from heart conditions. Where is the blood test available atm then?

[greyghost]

An ex neighbour contacted me recently to see if I could help her neighbour who had just lost her weim at 8 years old. The bitch was on the bottom of her bed, let out a nasty yelp and died instantly of a heart attack. She said she knew instinctively what had happened as it happened to one of her other dogs years ago (not a weim).

She has a pup booked and will be picking it up next week (weim).

[tasha]

can you find out the dogs pedigree les?? I'm trying to keep track of them if I can.

there is a company I can send you the details that do it in the UK but I'm still trying to get in touch with them their telephone number is offline.

[tasha]

round two: Today I took both the dogs to the main surgery in Kemptown (its all sparkly and new!!) and they both had a full cardio screening done and bloods taken for the heart test. Both have excellent results so far no sign of anything wrong and good strong heart beats.

I even got a full hours lecture on DCM in different breeds (with a heart model!!) and other diseases that they come across and how to tell that a dog has the problems (things to look out for basically) he also showed me an easy way to tell if a dog has a heart problem (basically you put your hand on the pulse in the leg and listed to the heart if the heart is weak there will be missing beats in the pulse because the blood isn't getting around properly) so things like a small cough etc. It was sad to hear that in breeds like the Doberman that the survival rate after diagnosis is approx 3 months in very young dogs (not continental origin though only UK and American bred sadly) but in breeds like the alsation where the majority of dogs diagnosed are elderly the prognosis is much better with approx 3 years being the average after diagnosis because of the response to medication.

Both Bonnie and Graf were happy to be gone over stood nicely for the tests although bonnie loves my vet and always tries to cuddle and kiss him, such a tart! so he was very happy with them both. I get the blood results back tomorrow but he is happy that they will be good. Graf had a heart rate of 100 (despite doing quite a bit to get into the next room to bonnie whose now in a full blown season) and bonnie had a nice rate of 80. She's so relaxed about the vets that he said dogs like her never have too high a rate because they show no stress whatsoever haha! It pays to spend ages in the vets as a puppy with a bag of sweets and a sign saying 'please pet my puppy'.

The great thing is Cardio is my vets specialty he's very keen on the subject and hes asked alot of questions about the weimaraner and DCM in the Heart Foundations meetings and those at the Royal Veterinary and other colleagues on my behalf because this is his area of interest and they have had no significant numbers only the odd one here and there with DCM. It also helps that hes an A panel international judge because he has a keen interest in the breeds themselves and was nice enough to go over both dogs for me including mouths so I got some good practise in for crufts. ;D ;D

Excellent morning, if there are enough people interested in a proper lecture on heart disease I'd be happy to approach him to see if he would like to give one for one of the clubs??