M-Mode Echocardiography in Canine Veterinary Practice: A Comprehensive Review of Left Ventricular Measurements in 44 Different Dog Breeds

SIMPLE SUMMARY: This review article focuses on canine M-mode (motion mode), particularly for assessing the left ventricle measurements in several dog breeds. It traces the evolution of echocardiography techniques, highlighting A-mode, B-mode, and M-mode for accurate unidimensional cardiac structure records. This article emphasizes M-mode’s significance in diagnosing conditions like MMVD, where identifying cardiac enlargement requires measuring left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter corrected with body weight (LVIDdN). Also, M-mode’s role in DCM diagnosis is explained, noting criteria such as left ventricular dilatation. This review compiles data from various scientific sources to establish a methodology, presenting a detailed table of M-mode measurements for different breeds, ages, and sexes. In essence, our review underscores M-mode echocardiography’s crucial role in diagnosing and managing cardiac diseases in dogs. It highlights the significance of breed-specific reference values and offers a comprehensive summary of such measurements for diverse dog breeds, benefiting both clinicians and researchers. ABSTRACT: This review article focuses on the use of canine M-mode in veterinary medicine, specifically in assessing the left ventricle measurements in several breeds. It traces the historical development of echocardiography techniques, including A-mode, B-mode, and motion mode (M-mode), which provide accurate unidimensional records of cardiac structures. This article highlights the significance of M-mode measurements in diagnosing stage B2 of MMVD, where left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter corrected with body weight (LVIDdN) is essential for identifying cardiac enlargement. It also explains the role of M-mode in diagnosing DCM, outlining criteria such as left ventricular dilatation. The authors emphasize the importance of breed-specific reference values for echocardiographic measurements due to variations in somatotype among dogs. This review provides a comprehensive table summarizing M-mode measurements of the left ventricle for 44 different dog breeds, including interventricular septum thickness, left ventricular internal diameter, and left ventricular posterior wall thickness during systole and diastole. This review’s methodology involves compiling data from various scientific literature sources, providing an extensive tabular representation of M-mode measurements for different breeds, ages, and sexes. Overall, this review highlights the critical role of M-mode echocardiography in diagnosing and managing cardiac diseases in dogs, underscores the importance of breed-specific reference values, and presents a comprehensive summary of M-mode measurements for various dog breeds, aiding both clinicians and researchers.