Findings associated with cardiac cachexia in dogs with congestive heart failure.

Retrospective study evaluated 269 dogs with diagnoses of congestive heart failure.. One hundred thirty of 269 dogs (48.3%) had cardiac cachexia based on muscle loss, whereas 67 of 159 dogs (42.1%) with pre-evaluation body weights had cachexia based on weight loss. 

Dogs with cachexia (based on muscle loss) were significantly older, more likely to have a cardiac arrhythmia, had higher chloride concentrations , and had a lower body condition score, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and albumin concentrations. Cachexia, clinically important tachyarrhythmias, azotemia, and being under- or overweight were associated with shorter survival times.

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Clinical and laboratory findings and survival time associated with cardiac cachexia in dogs with congestive heart failure.