Doppler assisted evaluation of velocities and pressure gradient across mitral and aortic valves in healthy Spitz and Labrador retriever dogs

A study was carried out on client owned 34 healthy dogs of two specific breeds i.e. Labrador retriever and Spitz (17 each) to evaluate spectral Doppler transmitral and transaortic velocities and pressure gradients in healthy dogs. In addition, effect of age was also evaluated on these Doppler parameters. Dogs were categorized into three age groups viz. Group 1 (0-1.5 years), Group 2 (1.5- 7 Years) and Group 3 (> 7 years) with minimum of 5 dogs in each group. Regression analysis was done to evaluate the changes in these parameters with respect to age. Mean values obtained for transmitral and transaortic velocity and pressure gradient varied non-significantly among various age groups. No significant difference in the parameters was observed between the breeds. There was no significant variations in the recorded blood flow parameters with respect to age.