Signs of Mitral Valvular Heart Disease Auscultation CVD is characterized by a holosystolic murmur that becomes louder as the disease progresses. The murmur can radiate to the right side and cranially. The murmur is usually of equal intensity throughout systole - band shaped. S1 may be loud and the murmur may obscure S2. With advanced disease, atrial or ventricular arrhythmias may occur, including atrial fibrillation.
Respiratory signs vary with the stage of heart disease.
Dry cough is one of the common signs in CVD occurring more than with other heart diseases in the dog. Auscultatory pulmonary abnormalities include rales and crackles on both sides of the thorax over the hilar and cranial-ventral areas of the lung. In advanced disease, abnormal sounds can be heard over the entire lung fields. Laboratory Abnormalities Hematocrit, WBC and RBC usually not remarkable. Tricuspid Valvular Fibrosis Increase size of the LA, LV, RA and RV may be visible.