Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an inherited myocardial disease seen in dogs, cats, and humans. A common entity in Boxers and the related English bulldog, the disease is characterized by fatty or fibrofatty replacement of the myocardium, ventricular arrhythmias, and the potential for syncope or sudden death. In some individuals, concomitant left ventricular involvement results in systolic dysfunction and a progression to congestive heart failure. The clinical and pathological characteristics of ARVC share many similarities in dogs and humans, and Boxers serve as an important spontaneous model of the disease.

Though multiple mechanisms have been implicated in the pathogenesis of ARVC, the disease is ultimately considered to be a disorder of the desmosome. Multiple causal genetic mutations have been identified in people and over 50% of affected humans have an identifiable mutation in desmosomal proteins. To date, only a single genetic mutation has been associated with ARVC in Boxer dogs. Other as-yet-undiscovered genetic mutations and epigenetic modifiers of the disease are likely. Treatment of ARVC in dogs is focused on controlling ventricular arrhythmias and associated clinical signs. This article will review the pathophysiology, clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of ARVC in the dog.

致心律失常性右心室心肌病 (ARVC) 是一种常见于狗、猫和人类的遗传性心肌疾病。在拳击手和相关的英国斗牛犬中常见的一种疾病，这种疾病的特征是心肌的脂肪或纤维脂肪替代、室性心律失常，以及晕厥或猝死的可能性。在一些个体中，伴随的左心室受累导致收缩功能障碍和发展为充血性心力衰竭。ARVC 的临床和病理特征在狗和人类中有许多相似之处，而 Boxers 是该疾病的重要自发模型。

尽管 ARVC 的发病机制涉及多种机制，但该疾病最终被认为是桥粒疾病。已经在人类中发现了多种因果基因突变，超过 50% 的受影响人类在桥粒蛋白中具有可识别的突变。迄今为止，只有一个基因突变与拳师犬的 ARVC 相关。该疾病的其他尚未发现的基因突变和表观遗传修饰因子是可能的。治疗犬 ARVC 的重点是控制室性心律失常和相关的临床症状。本文将回顾犬 ARVC 的病理生理学、临床诊断、治疗和预后。