My Dog Just Collapsed…Again. Continuous ECG Monitoring for Transient Cardiac Conditions

The introduction of a fully capable cardiology service by Dr Richard Woolley at the Southern Animal Referral Centre has drastically extended the capability for diagnosis and treatment of cardiac conditions. Holter monitoring is now available, and is a key weapon in the diagnostic arsenal to isolate and identify those elusive transient heart conditions.

The cardiology service provided by Dr Richard Woolley has access to gold standard in-house diagnostics, including full dedicated cardiac echocardiography and 12 lead ECG capabilities. Use of these diagnostics in cardiac workup, along with radiographs or CT, is sufficient to identify most cardiac conditions. However, there are a number of conditions which may remain hidden during assessment at the Centre. Regardless of the quality of the ultrasound or ECG, these conditions refuse to show themselves when the patient is under assessment.

One major advance in the cardiology service provided by Dr Richard Woolley is the ability to monitor patients continually for 24 or 48 hours using a Holter continuous ECG monitor system. This simple yet effective piece of equipment is simply samples the ECG trace of the subject continuously for the period of observation. The Holter system itself is small and light and is easily fitted to the pet. Pets continue their life (out of the water!!) normally for the observation period and then have the monitor quickly and easily removed for analysis.

Patients with transient or intermittent signs of cardiac abnormalities are primary candidates for Holter ECG monitoring. These conditions may only become apparent during exercise, sleep, other assorted activities or indeed completely randomly. The chances of having such a condition show itself under ECG monitoring within the Centre are minimal. The use of a Holter monitor drastically increases the chances of quantitatively recording the abnormality thanks to the continuous nature of cardiac waveform logging.

A Holter monitor allows every single heart beat over a 24 or 48 hour time frame to be captured. Owners are asked to keep a diary during this time commenting on any episode they see which appears abnormal. This may include sudden lethargy, collapse or other signs of erratic behaviour.

After the monitor is removed, the cardiologist then assesses up to 300 000 heart beats per 24 hours. Analysis software makes this job far easier, and abnormalities can be isolated quickly and easily. The end result may be the identification of a handful of abnormal heart beats over the 24 hour period, pointing to the presence of a transient condition.

Several patients have already been trialled with SARC’s new Holter monitor system with great success. If you have a patient with a suspected transient heart condition, please contact Dr Richard Woolley at the Southern Animal Referral Centre on (03) 9532 5261. Please be aware that Richard is currently on leave to sit the final phase of his European Board certification exams and will be back in Melbourne from the 23rd September. Bookings for Holter monitor analysis can be taken in his absence and completed upon his return.

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