Anesthetic management and anesthesia-related complications in dogs with a dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype: a retrospective study of 30 dogs (2010-2024).

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To describe perioperative anesthetic management in canines with a dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) phenotype and to compare the frequency of general anesthesia-related complications with a control group of dogs without heart disease. ANIMALS 30 dogs with DCM phenotype (cases) and 30 dogs without heart disease (controls). METHODS: Dogs presented to a teaching hospital between 2010 and 2024 that were diagnosed with a DCM phenotype via echocardiography were included in this study. Controls were dogs that presented during the same time period and were matched with cases based on their age, breed, and type of procedure; however, no standardization of treatment between the groups was performed. Medical records were reviewed to evaluate the occurrence of anesthetic complications. RESULTS: Of dogs with a DCM phenotype, 2 had overt DCM, 22 had occult DCM, and 6 had equivocal DCM. Dogs with DCM exhibited a lower likelihood of being premedicated with dexmedetomidine or induced with propofol. Conversely, DCM dogs were more likely to be induced with etomidate or midazolam compared to their counterparts without DCM. Dogs with DCM demonstrated an increased likelihood of experiencing cardiac arrhythmias during anesthesia, received comparatively lower volumes of IV fluids, and were more likely to be administered dobutamine during anesthesia. No significant differences were identified in terms of postanesthesia complications or survival rates to discharge. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Dogs with a DCM phenotype, primarily characterized by asymptomatic presentation, demonstrated comparable perioperative outcomes under general anesthesia when compared to matched controls, though the lack of standardization in anesthetic management limits definitive conclusions.