A multi-central clinical trial was conducted to assess the effect of TKD-36 (Moku-boi-to)on chronic heart failure in dogs. TKD-36 (75, 150 or 300 mg/kg/day, divided b. i. d., p. o.) or placebo were administered for 4 weeks to dogs showing signs of chronic heart failure. Overall assessment and various clinical evaluation of clinical symptoms in dogs treated with TKD-36 (150 and 300 mg/kg/day) were excellent compared to that in dogs treated with the placebo. But the dose of 75 mg/kg/day of TKD-36 did not improve any clinical signs of heart failure as same as the placebo group. No adverse reactions attributable to TKD-36 administration were observed, confirming its safety in this species. Based on efficacy, safety and overall assessment analyses, the optimal dosage of TKD-36 is from 150 to 300 mg/kg/day.
These results clearly indicate that TKD-36 is an excellent drug for a treatment of the chronic heart failure in dogs.

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To obtain basic data for estimating influence factors, especially aging factor, on cardiac functions, the echo-cardiographic studies and blood pressure measurements were conducted for 96 healthy dogs which were visiting to the hospital. The results obtained are as follows ;
1) In FS and EF which are systolic factors the peak values were shown between four and seven years old.
2) In the E and A waves which are diastolic factors, the peak velocity of E wave decreased with aging, whereas the A wave-peak velocity tended to increase by aging. These results might be the same as in humans and it seemed that aging effects on the heart were developed by the same mechanisms as in humans.
3) Blood pressure tended to increase with aging, which was also the same as in humans. These findings become usefulness in the diagnosis of hypertension of the dog in the future.

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Ectopia cordis was found in five of 451 (1.1%) calves with congenital cardiovascular anomalies. Four of these 5 cases showed cervical ectopia cordis, while the remaining one showed the thoracic form. In three cases of cervical ectopia cordis, the pericardial sac extended anteriorly through the subcutaneous layer of the neck and its cranial end was attached to the occipital bone, mandible, atlas or muscles of the anterior neck. The sternums of these three calves were wide and flat, and consisted of 14 to 16 sternebrae. In the case of thoracic ectopia cordis, the middle of the sternum formed a circular defect with 6 cm in diameter and the overlying skin over this region was also defective. The pericardial sac adhered to the rim of the sternal defect and the naked heart protruded from the thoracic cavity.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the higher incidence of arrhythmias and arteriosclerotic changes of the intramural coronary artery (consisting essentially of intimal thickening) in Rhode Island Red chickens (RIR). Electrocardiographic examinations and cardiopathological examinations of the ventricle were conducted with 60 RIR and 60 White Leghorn chickens (WL) during 12 months after hatching, focusing on the time of occurrence of arrhythmias and intimal thickening of the intramural coronary artery. Arrhythmias were observed in 10 RIR aged 7 to 12 months (atrial premature contraction : 3, ventricular premature contraction : 3, ventricular preexcitation syndrome : 4), but not in WL. In addition, the incidence and degree of vascular lesions tended to increase with advancing age. RIR showed a significantly higher cumulative incidence of the severe vascular lesion than WL (p<0.001). The rate of occurrences of the severe lesion was significantly higher in RIR with arrhythmias than in RIR with normal sinus rhythm (p<0.01). Consequently, this study show that the high incidence of arrhythmias in RIR is closely related to the sclerotic changes of the intramural coronary artery.

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Distribution of the coronary arteries of 8 fresh hearts, consisting of 5 Shiba goats and 3 Japanese Corridale sheep, was studied morphologically, by means of postmortem coronary angiography, transparent specimen technique treated with methyl benzoate, and histological examination of intermittent serial sections. Especially concentrated on origin and distribution of the sinoatrial node (SAN) artery, the present investigation was performed in composition with both cases of the 5 goats and 3 sheep.
1. The left circumflex coronary artery of the 4 out of the 5 goats, ran downward obliquely in the left ventricle after running off from the coronary groove at the part of the intermediary groove, and the circumflex arrived at the half point of the subsinusal interventricular groove, and thus it became the subsinusal interventricular branch. In contrast, the circumflex of both the remaining one goat and the 3 sheep ran straight along the coronary groove until the origin of the subsinusal interventricular groove, when the circumflex gave off the descending branch. In the 5 goats, the right coronary artery coming along from the aorta, shortly after having gotten to the coronary groove, ran downward obliquely in the right ventricle, raeched forward to the half point of the subsinusal interventricular groove, and then faded away. In the case of the sheep, the right coronary artery ran along the coronary groove, approached to the origin of the subsinusal groove, and then faded away as well.
2. In 5 Shiba goats, there were 3 atrial branch arteries in the atria of each animal, the 2 arteries of which originated from the left circumflex coronary artery : the proximal (L1) and distal (L2) branches. The remainder came from the right coronary artery (R1). In 3 Japanese Corridale sheep, there were 6 atrial branches in each animal : the proximal (L1), intermediate (L2) and distal (L3) branches arosed from the left circumflex coronary artery, and one branch (L4) was derived from the first branch of the posterior septal artery coming from the subsinusal interventricular branch of the left coronary artery. The others were proximal (RI) and distal (R2) branches, both of which originated from the right coronary artery.
3. In 5 Shiba goats, the SAN artery was composed of R1, which ran through the inside of the SAN. In 3 Japanese Corridale sheep, it was composed of L1. The L1 of two animals ran outside the SAN and one revealed a centrally located artery in the SAN. Subsequently, the disribution of both the coronary arteries and the SAN artery, and the origin of the SAN artery seem to have a variety of features depending on not only kinds of animals but their breeds.

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