Effect of α-tocopherol on Growing Peking Ducks with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Ascites

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
saber almousavi
keyvan hasani
faculty of veterinary science, Islamic Azad university, Kazerun, fars
10.22077/jlr.2026.8467.1057
Abstract
Pulmonary hypertension and ascites syndrome, resulting from rapid growth and high metabolic demand, are major pathophysiological challenges in poultry. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different levels of α-tocopherol on electrocardiogram (ECG) changes and cardiac hypertrophy indices in Pekin ducks under experimentally induced ascites. One hundred and twenty one-day-old Pekin ducklings were divided into 4 groups (control and those receiving 100, 200, and 400 IU/kg of alpha-tocopherol). To induce ascites, triiodothyronine (T3; 1.5 mg/kg) was added to the diet from day 7 to 45. On days 15 and 45, ECG variables (limb and unipolar leads) were recorded, and on day 45, cardiac weight indices (RV/TV and TV/BW%) were measured and analyzed using Two-way Repeated Measures ANOVA. The RV/TV index on day 45 significantly decreased in all Vitamin E-treated groups compared to the control group (P
Keywords
Ascites
Right ventricle/total ventricle ratio
α-tocopherol
Triiodothyronine
Subjects