Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Heart base mass caused by coccidioidomycosis in two dogs
By Ajithdoss, D K et al.·Published in Journal of comparative pathology·2011·Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Coccidioidomycosis presenting as a heart base mass in two dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two dogs were diagnosed with coccidioidomycosis, a fungal infection, that presented as masses at the base of their hearts. One dog had a large mass that was pressing on important blood vessels and airways, which was confirmed through imaging tests. Unfortunately, both dogs were found to have severe inflammation and fungal spherules in the heart tissue during necropsy. This case highlights a rare instance where a fungal infection mimicked a heart tumor in dogs.
People also search for: dog heart mass symptoms · coccidioidomycosis in dogs · dog heart problems treatment
Abstract
Two atypical cases of canine coccidioidomycosis presenting as heart base masses are described. An echocardiogram performed in one of the two dogs revealed a large mass at the base of the heart and a computed tomography scan showed that the mass compressed the bronchi, left atrium, aorta and pulmonary arteries. A firm, white or pale yellow mass was found at the base of the heart at necropsy examination in both cases. Microscopical examination of the masses revealed severe, chronic, locally extensive granulomatous or pyogranulomatous inflammation with intralesional spherules consistent with Coccidioides spp. The diagnosis was further confirmed by immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization. Coccidioides spp. have been reported to cause pericarditis in dogs, but this is the first description of coccidioidomycosis mimicking a heart-based tumour in dogs.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21334001/