ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC INDICES IN THE NORMAL DOG

Twenty young healthy dogs weighing from 9.8 to 28.6 kg were studied by M-mode echocardiography. Parameters were measured and statistically evaluated to determine whether a correlation to body surface area existed. A statistically significant correlation to body size was found for the aortic, left atrial, left ventricular, septal, and posterior wall dimensions and the mitral valve amplitude of motion. In addition, normal values not correlated to body surface area are presented with their means and standard deviations. These values include velocity of circumferential fiber shortening, ejection time, percent systolic thickening of septum and posterior wall, percent change in minor diameter, selected dimension ratios, and mitral valve velocities