Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with irregular heartbeat and thyroid disease found to have heart
By Blake, R R et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2019·Hospital for Small Animals, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Coronary arteriovenous malformation in a dog with a complex arrhythmia and hypothyroidism.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old Japanese Akita was brought in because he was lethargic and had trouble exercising, along with an irregular heartbeat. After tests, the vet found he had atrial fibrillation (a type of irregular heart rhythm) and hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels). Imaging revealed a rare heart condition called a coronary arteriovenous malformation, which involved abnormal blood vessels around the heart. Fortunately, after starting treatment with levothyroxine for his thyroid issue and antiarrhythmic medication for his heart, the dog's symptoms improved significantly.
People also search for: dog irregular heartbeat treatment · Akita lethargy causes · hypothyroidism in dogs symptoms
Abstract
A four-year-old Japanese Akita was referred for investigation of lethargy, exercise intolerance, and an irregular heart rhythm. He was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a complex ventricular arrhythmia, and hypothyroidism. Echocardiography identified a nest of anomalous vessels surrounding the heart and shunting into the pulmonary artery. Computed tomography confirmed a coronary arteriovenous malformation consisting of a coronary-to-pulmonary arterial communication and an associated complex nest of tortuous vessels, which was thought to be an incidental finding. Clinical signs improved with levothyroxine and antiarrhythmic treatment. Describing an unusual coronary artery anomaly as well, this case serves as a reminder to critically evaluate the hemodynamic significance of structural cardiac disease and to screen for systemic disease in patients with arrhythmias.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31174728/