To Assess the Clinical Value of the RPAD Index in Dogs with Varying Degrees of Pulmonary Hypertension

Background: The gold standard for pulmonary artery pressure measurement is right heart catheterization. The present study was conducted to assess the clinical value of the RPAD index in dogs with varying degrees of pulmonary hypertension. Subjects and Methods: The present study was conducted on 40 dogs. Dogs were divided in four groups according to the TRPG value (<36 mmHg, 36–50 mmHg, 51–75 mmHg, or >75 mmHg). In all dogs, presence of signs commonly associated with PH was recorded. Results: Out of 40 dogs, male dogs were 25 and female dogs were 15. Common clinical features were coughing in 24, tachypnea in 11, weakness in 18, dyspnea in 27, syncope in 5 and hemoptysis in 34. The mean heart rate in group I was 130.2, in group II was 121.4, in group III was 141.3 and in group IV was 147.5. Clinical score in group I was 2.5, in group II was 3.7, in group III was 5.11 and in group IV was 5.8. Mean radiology score was 1.3 in group I, 2.4 in group II, 2.9 in group III and 3.8 in group IV. Fractional shortening was 46.5% in group I, 50.3% in group II, 55.4% in group III and 53.2% in group IV. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Authors found significant difference in mean heart rate, clinical score, radiology score and fractional shortening in dogs with different pulmonary pressure.