Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with heart hemangiosarcoma causing heart block and arrhythmias
By Franchini, A et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2026·Department of Small Animal and Clinical Science, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hemangiosarcoma involving the interventricular and interatrial septum, atrioventricular node, and right ventricle, causing atrioventricular block and ventricular arrhythmias in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 13-year-old male neutered miniature poodle was brought in after experiencing several fainting spells. Tests showed he had a serious heart condition called high-grade atrioventricular block, along with abnormal heart rhythms. An ultrasound of his heart revealed thickening of the heart walls and cysts, indicating a tumor. Unfortunately, due to the poor prognosis, the owner chose to have him humanely euthanized. A postmortem exam confirmed the presence of hemangiosarcoma, a type of cancer affecting the heart.
People also search for: dog fainting spells · miniature poodle heart problems · hemangiosarcoma in dogs · dog arrhythmia treatment
Abstract
A 13-year-old male neutered miniature poodle was presented for evaluation following multiple syncopal episodes. A six-lead electrocardiogram revealed high-grade atrioventricular (AV) block and ventricular ectopy presenting as periods of accelerated idioventricular rhythm and runs of ventricular tachycardia. The echocardiogram showed severely increased interventricular septum wall thickness with several cystic anechoic cavities. The owner elected humane euthanasia due to poor prognosis. The postmortem examination revealed the presence of hemangiosarcoma involving the interventricular and interatrial septum, the AV node, and the right ventricular free wall. This report describes an unusual presentation of cardiac hemangiosarcoma causing AV block and ventricular arrhythmias.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41380581/