Table 3.

Composite clinical score scale

Variable	Score	Clinical Correlate
Dyspnea	0	None
	1	During intense physical activity (e.g, running, climbing stairs)
	2	During moderate physical activity (e.g, walking)
	3	At rest
Cough (frequency)	0	None
	1	Rare
	2	Frequent
	3	Very frequent
Exercise tolerance	0	Normal
	1	Reduced
	2	Exercise is not possible
Ascites	0	None
	1	Mild to moderatea
	2	Severea

At each visit, the score obtained for dyspnea, cough frequency, exercise tolerance, and ascites related to hepatic venous congestion was summed to calculate the composite clinical score, based on both physical examination and complete history by the owner, which was used as treatment success assessment.

^aIf ascites was present, maximal abdominal circumference was measured (in cm) and at the following visit, ascites was scored as follows: −1, 0, or 1 if abdominal circumference was less, equal to, or greater than circumference measured at diagnosis, respectively.