Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with fungal infection causing fluid around the heart
By De Vlugt, A et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2026·Soft Tissue Surgery and Cardiology, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Fungal pericarditis due to Aspergillus fumigatus in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old male crossbreed dog was brought to the vet with a swollen belly and signs of heart distress. An ultrasound showed fluid around the heart, which was causing pressure on the heart (cardiac tamponade). The vet performed surgery to remove the pericardium (the membrane around the heart) and found it was infected with a fungus called Aspergillus fumigatus. This type of fungal infection in the heart is rare in dogs. The dog received treatment for the fungal infection, and further care would be needed to monitor his recovery.
People also search for: dog swollen belly · dog heart infection treatment · Aspergillus fumigatus in dogs · dog cardiac tamponade symptoms
Abstract
A 4-year-old, male, entire, crossbreed dog presented with a history of acute abdominal distension. Pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade and diffuse nodular changes to the epicardial surface was noted on echocardiography. Cytology of the pericardial effusion was consistent with neutrophilic inflammation with no evidence of neoplastic cells or bacteria. Therefore, a pericardiectomy was elected for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Marked fibrous and fibrinous adhesions were noted between the parietal layer of the serous pericardium and the epicardium. Histological examination [including Grocott methenamine silver (GMS) stain] identified numerous fungal hyphae compatible with fungal pericarditis due to Aspergillus fumigatus. Systemic aspergillosis has been previously reported in dogs; however, a primary fungal pericarditis has not been described in the available veterinary literature.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41521069/