Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with heart failure from bone growth in heart lining
By Wright, K N et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1996·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, 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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Effusive-constrictive pericardial disease secondary to osseous metaplasia of the pericardium in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old mixed-breed dog was brought in showing signs of right-sided congestive heart failure, which can include symptoms like difficulty breathing and lethargy. After ruling out common causes such as infections and trauma, the vet diagnosed the dog with a rare condition where the pericardium (the heart's protective sac) had developed bone-like tissue. The dog's condition improved significantly after a surgical procedure called subtotal pericardiectomy, which removed part of the affected pericardium. Following the surgery, the dog showed a resolution of heart failure symptoms and was on the road to recovery.
People also search for: dog congestive heart failure symptoms · pericardiectomy in dogs · why is my dog having trouble breathing
Abstract
Osseous metaplasia of the pericardium causing effusive-constrictive pericardial disease has not, to our knowledge, been reported in dogs. Clinical signs of right-sided congestive heart failure prompted examination of the dog of this report. Documented causes of constrictive pericardial disease in dogs include trauma and actinomycotic, mycobacterial, and fungal infections. These causes were ruled out in this dog. Immune-mediated disorders, as have been reported in people, also were considered unlikely on the basis of test results. It was concluded that this dog had idiopathic osseous metaplasia of the pericardium and pleura. Signs of right-sided congestive heart failure resolved after subtotal pericardiectomy was performed.
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/8960194/