Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Imaging findings of bronchopericardial fistulas in a dog
By Lee, YeunHea et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2026·VCA West Coast Specialty and Emergency Animal Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Imaging Characteristics of Bronchopericardial Fistulas in a Dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old spayed female Afghan Hound was brought in because she had a fever, was lethargic, and had a cough. X-rays and a CT scan showed that she had bronchopericardial fistulas, which are abnormal connections between the lungs and the heart sac, along with fluid and gas in the heart area. The vet performed surgery to remove parts of her lung and the affected heart sac. After the surgery, the dog recovered well and showed no signs of illness during a follow-up ultrasound two weeks later.
People also search for: dog cough and fever · Afghan Hound heart problems · bronchopericardial fistula treatment
Abstract
A 7-year-old, spayed female, Afghan Hound presented for evaluation of fever, lethargy, and cough. Initial thoracic radiographs revealed increased soft tissue opacity of the left cranial lung lobe, mild pneumopericardium, and mild pleural effusion. Subsequent computed tomography (CT) of the thorax demonstrated multiple bronchopericardial fistulas, measuring up to 6.0 mm in diameter, originating from a secondary bronchus of the caudal subsegment of the left cranial lung lobe. The pericardial sac was markedly dilated, containing both fluid and gas. Associated findings included pulmonary atelectasis of the left cranial and caudal lung lobes, regional lymphadenopathy, and minimal left caudal pleural effusion. The dog recovered uneventfully following left cranial and partial left caudal lung lobectomies with subtotal pericardiectomy, with resolution of clinical signs and no effusion on 2-week follow-up ultrasound. On the basis of the reviewed literature, this is the first case report describing CT findings of bronchopericardial fistulas in a dog.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42007624/