Possible Prognostic ECG Indices for Cardiac Injury Associated with Experimentally Induced Chronic Doxorubicin-Cardiomyopathy in Dogs

Elsharkawy, Samar; Saker, Ahmed; Naser, Mohamed; Bedeer, Noha; Saleh, Asmaa; Elshafey, Besheer

doi:10.21608/ejvs.2025.361309.2656

Possible Prognostic ECG Indices for Cardiac Injury Associated with Experimentally Induced Chronic Doxorubicin-Cardiomyopathy in Dogs

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Surgery, Anaesthesiology, and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University.

² Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhur University, Beheira

10.21608/ejvs.2025.361309.2656

Abstract

Doxorubicin (DOX) induced- cardiomyopathy is a predictable outcome for doxorubicin administration in dogs treated for various malignancies. Early detection of cardiac alterations is a mandatory step to prevent permanent and irreversible cardiac damage. Many tools have been employed to detect those alterations including echocardiography (ECHO), electrocardiography (ECG) and cardiac biomarkers analysis. ECG is a cost-effective tool used to scan for DOX induced- cardiomyopathy in dogs. To this point, no detection criteria has been established for chronic DOX- cardiotoxicity in dogs using ECG. Five adult healthy male dogs were employed to receive six consecutive doses of DOX (30 mg/ m²) which was repeated with three-weeks interval. Baseline physical, ECHO, ECG and serum biochemical examinations were conducted before the first DOX application. Serial ECG evaluation was carried out just prior to the next DOX session then three weeks after discontinuing DOX therapy. Lead II of the ECG was standardized for all measurements including heart rate, rhythm, duration and amplitude of the P wave and QRS complex, duration of the PR, QT and QTc intervals, existence and amplitude of the J wave, polarity and amplitude of the T wave, mean electrical axis and the position of the ST segment. No cardiac arrhythmias were detected except for sinus tachycardia. The most detected ECG alterations were ST depression or/ elevation, T wave flattening and inversion as well as prominent J wave. In conclusion, ST interval and T wave changes along with prominent J wave could represent important indicators for chronic DOX-cardiomyopathy in dogs.

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