Transthoracic echocardiographic reference intervals in 214 adult Golden retrievers

This study describes the echocardiographic reference intervals in a large sample of Golden retrievers from the database of the Italian Veterinary Observatory for Cardiac Diseases. The echocardiographic variables and the cardiac functionality indexes obtained from 2012 to 2022 in 214 (122 females, 92 males) healthy adult Golden retrievers were compared with the previously published data for this breed and with data from the general canine population and other breeds. The diastolic left ventricular internal diameter and the left ventricle’s systolic and diastolic allometric indices were higher than those reported for the general canine population (P<0.05). The same was true for the left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes measured by Simpson’s method of discs (P<0.01). Fractional shortening of the left ventricle was lower (P=0.002) and aortic flow velocity was higher (P<0.001) than the value previously reported for Golden retrievers. The reference intervals obtained in this study are useful for clinical echocardiography and for echocardiographic screening programs in Golden retrievers.