Low intensity heart murmurs in boxer dogs: inter-observer variation and effects of stress testing

Hoglund, K., French, A., Dukes-McEwan, J., Haggstrom, J., Smith, P., Corcoran, B. and Kvart, C. (2004) Low intensity heart murmurs in boxer dogs: inter-observer variation and effects of stress testing. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 45(4), pp. 178-185. (doi: 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2004.tb00221.x)

Abstract

Inter-observer variation in the detection and grading of low intensity heart murmurs in boxer dogs was investigated. Six veterinarians with different levels of experience examined 27 boxers by cardiac auscultation. The dogs were auscultated before and after exercise, and the results were compared with phonocardiographic and echocardiographic examinations performed at rest and during two different stress tests. A subvalvular aortic ridge was identified in six dogs on two-dimensional echocardiography. Using dogs with low intensity murmurs or dogs free of heart murmurs, inter-observer agreement was positively correlated to the level of experience at rest (weighted kappa [kappa] 0.14 to 0.75), while the agreement was poor after exercise (weighted kappa 0.01 to 0.36). The presence of a subvalvular aortic ridge was associated with higher aortic flow velocities (P0.002) and higher auscultatory murmur grading (P<0.001). There was an increase in murmur duration during one kind of stress test (P<0.001) and in aortic flow velocity during the other (P=0.001.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: French, Professor Anne
• Authors: Hoglund, K., French, A., Dukes-McEwan, J., Haggstrom, J., Smith, P., Corcoran, B., and Kvart, C.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Journal of Small Animal Practice
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
• ISSN: 0022-4510
• ISSN (Online): 1748-5827
• Published Online: 10 February 2006