Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with swollen belly after lung injury had vein blockage
By Montavon, P M et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative orthopaedics and traumatology : V.C.O.T·2007·Clinic for Small Animal Surgery·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Chronic peritoneal effusion secondary to partial caudal vena cava obstruction following traumatic pneumothorax in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old female Boxer was brought in with a swollen abdomen after being treated for a right-sided pneumothorax (collapsed lung). After three weeks, tests showed that a part of her caudal vena cava (a major vein) was being compressed due to a displaced lung lobe that had stuck to the chest wall. The vet performed surgery to correct the issue, which successfully relieved the obstruction and resolved the fluid buildup in her abdomen. The dog recovered well after the procedure.
People also search for: dog swollen abdomen · Boxer pneumothorax treatment · dog surgery for ascites
Abstract
A three-year old, female Boxer Dog was treated initially with thoracocentesis for a right-sided pneumothorax. The dog was re-evaluated after three weeks because of an enlargement of the abdomen. A positive venogram revealed a ventral displacement of the caudal vena cava between the diaphragm and the heart, with a severe reduction of the diameter of the vein. An exploratory thoracotomy showed a displaced accessory lung lobe with an adhesion to the parietal pleura. Inflation of this lung lobe created a dynamic obstruction of the caudal vena cava, which resulted in ascites. Surgery offered successful treatment.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18038016/