The normal M-mode echocardiographic parameters were determined in German Shepherd dogs from Minas Gerais State Police kennel. Sixty clinically normal dogs were submitted to the echocardiographic examination. The right ventricular internal dimension at end-diastole, the left ventricular internal dimension at end-diastole and end-systole, the left ventricular mass, the aortic root dimension, left atrial systolic dimension, end-diastolic interventricular septal thickness and end-diastolic and end-systolic left ventricular posterior wall thickness had significant correlation with body weight. The ratio of septal to left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end-distole, the left atrial to aortic root ratio, the thickening fraction of the interventricular septum, the thickening fraction of the left ventricular posterior wall, and left ventricular shortening fraction showed no linear correlations with body weight, sex or age.
M-mode echocardiography; heart; dog
