Echocardiographic Assessment of Cardiac Function by Conventional and Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography in Dogs with Patent Ductus Arteriosus.

Conventional parameters routinely used to assess systolic function (EF and FS) were not different between the groups; STE-derived parameters identified subtle changes in cardiac systolic function and contractility between the 2 groups of dogs. Based on these findings, STE may be a more appropriate tool to assess cardiac contractility in dogs with PDA.