Screening could decrease prevalence for heart disease

Congenital pulmonic and aortic stenosis in Newfoundland dogs: Results of a 14-year French cardiovascular screening program (921 dogs)

Valérie Chetboul, Constance Fauveau, Peggy Passavin

Background
Aortic stenosis (AS) and pulmonic stenosis (PS) are among the most common congenital heart diseases in dogs, with Newfoundland dogs having a high genetic predisposition to subvalvular aortic stenosis (SAS). To reduce disease prevalence, a cardiovascular screening program was implemented in France in 2010 under the supervision of a board-certified veterinary cardiologist. This study aimed to assess the program's impact over 14 years.

Methods
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 921 Newfoundland dogs screened between 2010 and 2023. All dogs underwent physical examination, transthoracic echocardiography, and Doppler assessment. Data on stenosis severity, heart murmurs, and other cardiac abnormalities were collected. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate disease prevalence trends and potential genetic associations.

Results
Among the screened dogs, 99.1% were free of AS and 99.8% were free of PS. The last detected cases of AS and PS occurred in 2019 and 2020, respectively, indicating a decreasing trend. No significant associations were found between AS/PS and inbreeding coefficients. Additionally, 3.6% of dogs had other congenital heart diseases, such as mild mitral valve dysplasia and patent ductus arteriosus. The majority of screening examinations (90%) were performed by general practitioners, with 91% of cases achieving a definitive diagnosis after a single examination.

Limitations
The study relied on retrospective data, and echocardiographic evaluations were primarily conducted by non-specialist veterinarians, potentially introducing observer variability. Additionally, some cases lacked follow-up, and genetic testing was not performed to confirm disease heritability.

Conclusions
The cardiovascular screening program successfully reduced the prevalence of AS and PS in Newfoundland dogs in France. The findings highlight the effectiveness of structured screening protocols in managing inherited cardiac diseases. Continued screening is recommended to maintain these improvements and further investigate genetic risk factors.

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