Ambulatory Electrocardiography and Serum Cardiac Troponin I Measurement in 21 Dogs Envenomated by the European Adder (Vipera Berus)
Harjen, Hannah Jayne; Bjelland, Annelin; Harris, Joanne; Grøn, Tone; Anfinsen, Kristin Paaske; Moldal, Elena Regine; Rørtveit, Runa
Peer reviewed, Journal article
Published version
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https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2661524Utgivelsesdato
2020Metadata
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Sammendrag
Background: Envenomation by the European adder (Vipera berus) is common in dogs
in Europe. Cardiac arrhythmias occur but clinical studies of envenomated dogs are
limited.
Objectives: To describe arrhythmias in dogs within 48 hours of envenomation, and
investigate associations between arrhythmia grade, serum troponin I (cTnI), and
snakebite severity score (SS score).
Animals: Twenty-one client-owned dogs bitten by V berus.
Methods: Prospective cohort study of envenomated dogs. Ambulatory electrocardiograms were recorded from presentation to 48 hours after snakebite, and arrhythmias
graded 0 to 3 based on frequency and severity. Serum cTnI was measured at presentation, 12 hours, 24 hours, 36 hours, and 14 days after bite. An SS score of 1 to 3
was recorded at admission and based on clinical examination.
Results: All dogs survived. Twelve dogs (57%) developed arrhythmias, all of which
were ventricular in origin. Severe complex ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) were
observed in 6 dogs (29%). Eighty-one percent of dogs (n = 17) had increased cTnI
concentrations at 1 or more time points. Dogs that developed arrhythmias had significantly higher concentrations of cTnI at 12 hours (1.67 [0.04-32.68] versus 0.03
[0.01-0.052]; P = .002), 24 hours (1.88 [0.2-14.23] versus 0.06 [0.01-2.06]; P = .009),
and 36 hours (3.7 [0.02-16.62] versus 0.06 [0.01-1.33]; P = .006) after bite compared
to those that did not. Contingency table analysis showed that SS score was not significantly associated with arrhythmia grade (P = .9).