The company points to research which shows that most dogs and cats whose congestive heart failure is well controlled by medication will have a stable sleeping respiratory rate of less than 30 breaths per minute1,2.
Vetoquinol says SRR is a sensitive indicator of pulmonary oedema or pulmonary effusion which can occur as heart failure patients deteriorate, and that monitoring of SRR is a useful biomarker for veterinary surgeons, allowing you to track progression of congestive heart failure and to detect stability during treatment.
The company also says SRR is most easily detected by the owner when the pet is asleep: using the app to count and record SRR gives clients a good indication of when to seek veterinary intervention and generates data that helps veterinary teams seeking to minimise unnecessary face-to-face contact but still provide emergency care.
While an SRR in the reference range does not exclude heart disease, it reduces the probability that the patient is suffering from left sided heart failure, so may also be a useful measure for remote triage as part of a wider assessment. Other causes of elevated SRR include pain, pneumonia, stress and heatstroke.
Helen Hunter, Product Manager at Vetoquinol and part of the team that developed the app said: "Being able to monitor patients with congestive heart failure is important at any time but during lockdown, with some routine checks having to be postponed, having a means of remote monitoring is more important than ever.
"This tool will help veterinary professionals make the judgement call about whether the pet needs to be seen, especially when the results are provided in the context of monitoring that has taken place over time, providing an assessment of what is normal for that patient."
To complement the addition of the new tool, the site has also launched a webinar delivered by RCVS Recognised Specialist in Cardiology, Dave Dickson of Heart Vets. The presentation discusses the ‘10 Golden Rules of Congestive Heart Failure' and covers topics including the importance of clear radiography and why a cough is not diagnostic of CHF.
Dave said: "Sleeping respiratory rate is one of the most useful ways to monitor an animal in CHF or to look for signs of CHF developing. By encouraging pet owners to monitor and track the dog's sleeping respiratory rate at home, owners can provide vets with a valuable insight into the success of the current treatment regime. The UpLife app is free and will be really helpful to vets and pet owners, both now during lockdown and in the future."
The app can be accessed at www.uplife.uk/srr and it can be communicated to clients at the point when their pet is diagnosed, or shared with clients whose pets already have a diagnosis and are under treatment.
For further information, contact your Vetoquinol Territory Manager, email uk_marketing@vetoquinol.com, or call 01280 814500.
Do you have a question about SRR? Come and ask Dave and other cardiology experts in the VetSurgeon.org Cardiology Expert Forum.
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