Guide to Canine and Feline Electrocardiography

Ruth Willis, BVM&S, DVC, MRCVS, is an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology at Holter Monitoring Service, Dick White Referrals, Newmarket UK; and an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham, UK.

Pedro Oliveira, DVM, Diplomate ECVIM-CA (Cardiology), MRCVS, is an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology at Davies Veterinary Specialists in Hertfordshire, UK, where he has established an electrophysiology laboratory for the invasive diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias.

Antonia Mavropoulou, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ECVIM-CA (Cardiology), MRCVS, is an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Cardiology at Davies Veterinary Specialists in Hertfordshire, UK.

List of Contributors vii


Preface ix


Acknowledgements xi


About the Companion Website xiii


1 Anatomy of the Conduction System 1
Pedro Oliveira


2 Cardiac Electrophysiology 9
Antonia Mavropoulou


3 Cardiac Vectors and the Genesis of the Electrocardiogram 21
Pedro Oliveira


4 Electrocardiography 35
Ruth Willis


5 Sinus Rhythms 57
Ruth Willis


6 Pathogenesis and Classification of Arrhythmias 67
Antonia Mavropoulou


7 Bradyarrhythmias and Conduction Disturbances 79
Ruth Willis


8 Atrial Rhythms 109
Pedro Oliveira


9 Atrial Fibrillation 127
Ruth Willis


10 Junctional Rhythms 147
Pedro Oliveira


11 Ventricular Rhythms 169
Antonia Mavropoulou


12 Clinical Approach to Arrhythmias and Intermittent Collapse 189
Ruth Willis


13 Diagnostic Approach to Narrow ]QRS Complex Tachycardia 201
Antonia Mavropoulou


14 Diagnostic Approach to Wide ]QRS Complex Tachycardia 211
Antonia Mavropoulou


15 Ambulatory Electrocardiographic Recordings 219
Ruth Willis


16 Heart Rate Variability 231
Domingo Casamian ]Sorrosal


17 Anti ]arrhythmic Drugs 241
Joel Freitas da Silva


18 Pacemaker Therapy 255
Simon Swift


19 Electrophysiology Studies and Catheter Ablation 271
Pedro Oliveira and Martin Lowe


20 Arrhythmias in Canine Cardiomyopathies and Valvular Heart Disease 285
Gerhard Wess and Marin Torti


21 Arrhythmias in Feline Cardiomyopathies 301
Erin L. Anderson


22 Inherited Ventricular Arrhythmias in German Shepherd Dogs 315
Thibault Ribas and Romain Pariaut


23 Systemic Disease and Arrhythmias, Including Selected Non ]cardiogenic Causes of Collapse 319
Jon Wray


24 Cardiac Arrhythmias and Anaesthesia 337
Frances Downing and Louise Clark


Appendix 1 Normal ECG Measurements for Cats and Dogs 349


Appendix 2 Arrhythmias A Brief Review 351


Appendix 3 Mean Electrical Axis 381


Appendix 4 Anti ]Arrhythmic Drugs and Dosages 387


Appendix 5 Sample ECG Reports 389


Self-assessment 393


Index 425