PostHeaderIconSubaortic Stenosis

Aortic / Subaortic Valvular Stenosis: AS/SAS

One of the most common heart defects occurring in dogs, boxers in particular, is aortic or subaortic stenosis. In most cases the stenosis, or narrowing, is produced by a fibrous ring of tissue below the aortic valve, hence the term "subaortic." The disease is inherited but its mode of transmission is not known at this time.

Oxygen-rich blood flows from the left ventricle of the heart, through the aortic valve and into the aorta, which transports the oxygenated blood to all organs and tissues in the body except the lungs. Narrowing of the aortic valve requires the left ventricle to work harder to pump the necessary amount of blood. This increased workload can result in hypertrophy (thickening) of the left heart muscle. Since the blood is being forced through a smaller-than-normal opening, there is also increased pressure generated by the pumping action of the heart. This increase in pressure can cause dilation (ballooning) of the aorta. Reduced flow can produce symptoms of fainting (syncope) and even sudden death, although abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) may also contribute to these symptoms.

The stenosis creates a change in the flow of blood through the valve causing turbulence which results in swishing sound called a heart murmur. Often the stenosis can be seen on echocardiography. Murmurs are graded from one to six, but a weak murmur may not always be detectable, even by a trained cardiologist. Exercising the dog during the cardiac exam may increase detection of murmurs in some cases. Not all murmurs are the result of aortic stenosis/subaortic stenosis, but may be so-called "innocent," or physiologic murmurs, particularly when they occur in young animals.

The diagnosis of AS/SAS is best made by a veterinary cardiologist, or one with equivalent experience and training. When a murmur is identified and not presumed to be physiologic, further investigation is warranted. The least invasive and most available testing consists of Echo/Doppler.This testing is best performed when the animal is full grown or at least one year of age, unless the dog is experiencing symptoms of heart disease, in which case testing should be pursued promptly.

As in many instances in medicine, these tests have limitations and are not perfect. False positive and false negative diagnoses may occur. In some cases this is simply because the abnormality is too subtle to be diagnosed with currently available knowledge and/or technology. Echo-Doppler flow rates can vary considerably in the same animal depending on the proficiency of the operator and the amount of stress to which the animal is subjected. These limitations may be minimized in part by examiners with advanced training using the appropriate ultrasound equipment, techniques, and standards established by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Specialty of Cardiology.