Diagnosis and significance of arrhythmias in the horse. II. Clinical significance of arrhythmias
Deegen, E.
Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift 83(11): 483-489
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0341-6593 PMID: 793807 Document Number: 106830
Ectopic cardiac arrhythmias were studied in 35 horses in an attempt to correlate clinical and PM findings with both auricular and ventricular extrasystoles as well as paroxysmal tachycardia. Horses with atrial and ventricular premature heart beats or paroxysmal tachycardia were shown to have heart disease in only 14% of cases. Pulmonary disease, enteritis, hyperlipidaemia, insect intoxication, hypocalcaemia and shock were encountered in 83% of cases of spontaneous arrhythmia. Only one of the 35 horses was considered clinically healthy. Auricular fibrillation in valvular heart disease was established in 33% of cases; in the remainder it was present without any indication of additional cardiac disease. Hemiplegia laryngis sinistra and pulmonary disease were found in five horses in addition to auricular fibrillation.