Abstract
ABSTRACT The present study has the objective of evaluating the effects of exercise training, using moderate intensity walking (60 to 80% of maximum heart rate), from 30 to 50 minutes, three times a week, in alternate days, during eight weeks, on heart rate variability in dogs with myxomatous valve disease (MVD). For that, 20 dogs in stages B1 (1), B2 (14) and C2 (5) of MVD (ACVIM classification) were divided into untrained control group (CG, n=9) and training group (TG, n=11), and assessed at baseline (T0), after four (T1) and eight weeks (T2). Only one B1 and five B2 dogs completed the training program. In the time domain, the rMSSD was greater in TG in T1 (155,5+42,07) and T2 (199,8+83,54) than CG (T1:91,17+35,79 and T2:88,17+57,51). In the frequency domain, the variable High Frequency (HF) increased in TG in T1 (30950+25810) and T2 (40300+33870) when compared to the CG (T1:19090+23210 and T2:18810+22200) and within the group TG in T2 in relation to T0 (29340+20950). The proposed walking protocol is concluded to have increased the rMSSD and HF variables in TG, representing an increase of the parasympathetic tonus, justifying the indication of this therapy in B1 and B2 stages of MVD.
Highlights
Myxomatous valve disease (MVD) is the most common cardiopathy in dogs, and the prevalence may reach close to 100% in elderly dogs of small breeds (Borgarelli and Buchanan, 2012)
The control group (CG) was initially composed of nine dogs, aged between 10 and 18 years, weighing 2.9 to 10.2kg, five females and four males, of breeds Poodle (3), Daschund (2) Fox Paulistinha (1), Pinscher (1), Yorkshire (1) and mixed breed (1)
The training group (TG) was composed of 11 animals, aged between six and 15 years, weighing 2.9 to 10.2 kg, being six females and five males, of breeds Poodle (4), Daschund (1), Fox Paulistinha (1), Pinscher (1), Schnauzer (1), Shih-Tzu (1), Yorkshire (1) and mixed breed (1)
Summary
Myxomatous valve disease (MVD) is the most common cardiopathy in dogs, and the prevalence may reach close to 100% in elderly dogs of small breeds (Borgarelli and Buchanan, 2012). During the progression of the disease, the autonomic injury is observed through heart rate variability (HRV). The electrocardiographic record of 24 hours (Holter) allows the achievement of HRV in the time and frequency domains (Billman, 2011; Rasmussen et al, 2012), quantifying indirectly the autonomous nervous system (ANS) (Piccirilo et al, 2009). In the search for the restoration of the autonomic balance and reduction of overall cardiovascular risk and morbi-mortality, physical training plays a key role in the adjuvant therapy in humans with cardiopathy with congestive heart failure (Hsu et al, 2015; Silva et al, 2015). The present work has the objective of evaluating the effects of exercise training, using moderate intensity walking, on heart rate variability in the time and the frequency domain in dogs with myxomatous valve disease
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