Ventricular Standstill in Dogs
Asystole in Dogs
There are four chambers in the heart. The two top chambers are the atria (single: atrium), and two bottom chambers are the ventricles. Valves are provided between each atrial and ventricular pair, each on the left and right side, allowing blood to pass from the atria to the ventricles, where it is then pumped out of the heart into the body – the right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs, and the left ventricle pumps blood to the body. The heart works with exceptional synchronization between the various atrial and ventricular structures, resulting in a consistent rhythmic pattern.
Ventricular standstill, also termed asystole, is an absence of ventricular complexes (called QRS) measured on an electrocardiogram (ECG), or absence of ventricular activity (electrical-mechanical dissociation). Electrical-mechanical dissociation is when there is a recorded ECG cardiac rhythm (P–QRS–T), but no effective cardiac output or palpable femoral pulse (the pulse of the artery in the inner thigh).
Ventricular standstill will lead to cardiac arrest and irreversible brain injury if the ventricular rhythm is not restored within 3-4 minutes. This condition can result from severe sinoatrial block or arrest (stoppage of the SA node, or pacemaker), or by third-degree atrioventricular (AV) block (which also causes blockage of the heart’s beat) without a junctional or ventricular escape rhythm (a junctional or escape rhythm would carry on the beat of the heart, saving the animal from cardiac arrest.)
Symptoms and Types
Once the initial emergency has been managed, your veterinarian will need a thorough history of your dog's health, onset of symptoms, and possible incidents that might have led to this condition. Your doctor can then perform a complete physical exam on your dog. Initially, just an electrolyte panel may be taken to determine if your dog has high serum potassium, a condition that is known to lead to ventricular standstill. This will be followed by standard laboratory tests, including a biochemical profile, a complete blood count and a urinalysis. Systemic disease as an underlying cause of heart disease must be ruled out. Additional diagnostics will include an electrocardiogram (ECG, or EKG) recording, which can be used to examine the electrical currents in the heart muscles, and may reveal any abnormalities in cardiac electrical conduction (which underlies the heart’s ability to contract/beat).
This is an emergency situation requiring aggressive treatment. Your veterinarian will perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation to begin your dog's heart beat and will want to make sure that your dog's heart rate is strong and consistent before going forward. Any treatable problems, such as hypothermia, hyperkalemia, or acid-base disorders will be treated.
If primary heart disease is suspected, an echocardiogram (ECHO), a sonographic tool, can be used to visually monitor the heart's ability to pump blood, the pattern of blood flow, and to look for tissue damage. Chest X-rays will also be taken to look for any abnormalities in the thoracic (chest) structure. The patient should be closely and frequently monitored with an ECG.
Living and Management
Unfortunately, patients with this condition have a poor prognosis. Even when sinus rhythm is re-established, the prognosis is still usually guarded to poor, as it is not uncommon for the patients to undergo cardiac arrest again.
Something that is related to the whole body and not just one particular part or organ
A cavity within a bone; may also indicate a flow or channel
Pertaining to the chest
An in-depth examination of the properties of urine; used to determine the presence or absence of illness
a) A cavity in certain animals b) Term refers to a rear chamber in the heart or a cavity in the brain
The prediction of a disease’s outcome in advance
A body temperature that is too low
A term that indicates a lack of contraction; used to refer to a lack of activity in the heart.
The superior chamber in an animal's heart.
A record of the activity of the myocardium
Too much potassium in the blood
A large blood vessel that transports blood out of the heart.
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