Understanding Boxer Cardiomyopathy
Glossary of Heart Terms

Myocardium: the smooth muscle that makes up the heart.

Atrium: one of two upper chambers of the heart.

Ventricle: one of two lower chambers of the heart.

Arrhythmia: an interruption in the heart’s normal rhythm.

Premature ventricular contraction: an arrhythmia that causes the ventricle to contract too early in the heart’s normal rhythmic pattern, causing an extra beat that does not produce a pulse — often called a PVC.

Syncope: collapse or fainting.

Echocardiogram: a test that provides an ultrasound recording of the heart’s activity.

Electrocardiogram: a test that provides an electrical recording of the heart’s activity — often called an ECG.

Holter monitor monitor: a device that measures the dog’s heart activity electrically over a 24-hour period — also known as a 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram.

Endnotes -- Back to Cardiomyopathy Page

1 Dilated Cardiomyopathy in the Boxer Dog. Boxer Mailing List
http://iupucbio2.iupui.edu/bml/cardiomyopathy.html.

2 Premature Ventricular Contraction. Medscape Health for Consumers.

3 Wallner W. Boxer Cardiomyopathy. American Boxer Club
http://www.americanboxerclub.org/boxer_cardiomyopathy.html

4 Gerard P, et al. Genetic and Genetic-Suspect Conditions in the Boxer. American Boxer Club
http://www.americanboxerclub.org/genetic_diseases.html.

5 Wood G. Heart Disease Updates. Cardiology Northwest Veterinarians

6 Tyrell B. Solatol Therapy More Effective Boxer Cardiomyopathy. Fall/Winter 1997 Newsletter. Southpaws Veterinary Referral Center, Springfield, VA.

7 Meurs K, et al. "Familial Ventricular Arrythmia in Boxers". Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 1999: 13; p. 437-439. (Reprinted on Boxer Club of Arizona Web site: http://www.boxerclubofarizona.org/meursfva.htm)

8 Meurs K. Final Report for Grant 1428: Inheritance Patterns and Molecular Genetic Analysis of Boxer Dogs and Doberman Pinschers with Familial Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

9 Meurs K. Twelve-Month Progress Report, 2001. Evaluation of the clinical outcome of asymptomatic adult boxers with ventricular arrhythmias over a four-year period.