Sick Sinus Syndrome in Dogs

Sick sinus syndrome (commonly SSS) is a disease that can affect humans and other animals, and the health effects are the same for both. The disease affects the heart contractions of the dog, which can lead to weakness, heart arrhythmia, and on rare occasions, death. Veterinarians can administer tests to treat dogs with sick sinus syndrome, which then will help the vet determine if a dog needs therapy or surgery.

  1. Causes

    • The cause of SSS is relatively unknown, but Pet MD indicates it may be linked to genetics. The biological cause of the disease stems from the sinoatrial node in the heart, which begins the heart beat. In SSS, the sinoatrial node produces irregular impulses that can affect the contraction of the heart.

    Symptoms

    • Some symptoms of SSS include weakness or fainting of the dog, fatigue, seizures, dizziness or an irregular heartbeat. Some or all symptoms may not manifest themselves in all dogs. Pet owners may mistake these symptoms for other common heart problems such as chronic valvular heart disease or congestive heart failure, both of which exhibit many of the same characteristics.

    Diagnosis

    • A veterinarian may first observe a dog's heart rate to determine whether it seems abnormal. If the vet feels the heart beat is a problem, he may perform an electrocardiogram test (ECG), which will detect the presence of arrhythmia in the heart beat. Further diagnosis includes testing the dog's urine (urinalysis), performing a blood test or administering an electrolyte panel to test organ function. Vets may even administer an atropine response test, injecting the dog with atropine and observing how fast the dog's body responds to it.

    Treatment

    • A veterinarian will decide whether a dog needs treatment for SSS, as some dogs are asymptomatic and will return to health on their own. Veterinarians treat some dogs with drugs, but this is most likely only a temporary treatment. Vets will often surgically implant an artificial pacemaker as a permanent solution, which has been found to drastically improve the dog's health.

    Life Expectancy

    • Most dogs with sick sinus syndrome can live normal lives without risk of death. Generally, dogs who show little to no outward signs of the disease have only asymptomatic symptoms, which will not pose health risks. For more serious cases, surgical treatment improves life expectancy of dogs with SSS, so they can get back to their normal, active lives.