Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Spontaneous tiny heart bubbles found in adult dog with breathing
By Beeby, L et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2025·ChesterGates Veterinary Specialists, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Idiopathic spontaneous intracardiac microbubbles in an adult dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old female English springer spaniel was brought in because she was having trouble exercising, panting excessively, and her tongue was turning blue. After thorough testing, including echocardiograms and blood work, the vet found that her heart was normal but discovered spontaneous microbubbles in the right side of her heart. Despite extensive investigations, no underlying cause for her symptoms could be identified. This case is unique as it shows microbubbles in a dog's heart without any known health issues. The dog’s condition remains unexplained, but she was monitored closely for any changes.
People also search for: dog exercise intolerance · panting dog causes · blue tongue in dogs · heart problems in dogs · spontaneous microbubbles in dogs
Abstract
A four-year-old, female neutered English springer spaniel presented for evaluation of exercise intolerance, panting and lingual cyanosis. Echocardiography revealed a structurally and functionally normal heart with the presence of spontaneous intracardiac microbubbles entering the right side of the heart from the caudal vena cava. A cause for the clinical signs could not be identified; routine blood work, urinalysis and electrocardiography were unremarkable. Testing for tick-borne diseases, clotting times, cardiac biomarkers, thyroid function and basal cortisol were all within normal limits. Faecal samples tested for Clostridium perfringens alpha, beta and epsilon toxins were negative. Genetic conditions including malignant hyperthermia and phosphofructokinase deficiency were excluded. Computed tomography and angiography of the abdomen and thorax revealed no abnormalities or shunting vessels that could explain the origin of the spontaneous intracardiac microbubbles. Previously, microbubbles have only been visualised when intravenous access is present or when purposeful contrast studies are performed. As far as the authors are aware, this is the first case of spontaneous intracardiac microbubbles visualised in the right heart of a dog with no identifiable underlying systemic conditions.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40187142/