Vertebral Heart Size in Healthy Belgian Malinois Dogs

This study was designed to apply the vertebral heart scale system to determine the radiographic heart size in working Belgian Shepherd Malinois dogs. Right lateral thoracic radiographs from nineteen healthy dogs, weighting 24+/- 2.85 kg and ageing from one to 8 years were analyzed. The overall mean vertebral heart size (VHS) calculated was 9.58 +/-0.53 vertebral units, ranging from 8.52 to 10.35v, with coefficient of variation of 5.5%. No significant gender influence on vertebral heart size values was observed.