Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with rare heart defect and bacterial endocarditis causing fever
By Ramírez, G A et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·2003·Departamento de Morfologí, Spain·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Left ventricular outflow tract-right atrial communication (Gerbode type defect) associated with bacterial endocarditis in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 6-year-old male Great Pyrenees was brought to the vet with a fever, lethargy, weight loss, and severe anemia after being unwell for 4 to 5 days. The vet found a rare heart defect called a Gerbode defect, which is a connection between the heart's left ventricle and right atrium, along with signs of bacterial endocarditis (an infection of the heart lining). Tests revealed bacteria that are typically associated with infections in immunocompromised patients. Unfortunately, the outcome for this dog was not detailed, but treatment for such conditions usually involves antibiotics and supportive care.
People also search for: Great Pyrenees heart defect · dog fever and lethargy · bacterial endocarditis treatment in dogs
Abstract
Left ventricular (LV) outflow tract-right atrial (RA) communication associated with bacterial endocarditis is described in a 6-year-old intact male Great Pyrenees dog with a 4- to 5-day history of fever, lethargy, weight loss, severe regenerative anemia, and asplenia. Typical vegetative mural endocardial lesions were observed grossly. Histologic evaluation revealed small gram-negative coccobacilli that were consistent with Bordetella avium-like organisms. These bacteria were associated with severe endocardial inflammation characterized by neutrophilic infiltration, extensive necrosis of endocardium, and fibrin deposition. LV-RA shunt (Gerbode defect) is a rare cardiac defect in humans that can be either congenital or, more rarely, secondary to septic endocarditis, valve replacement procedures, or thoracic trauma. B. avium-like organisms causing septicemia and endocarditis in immunocompromised and asplenic human patients have been described. To our knowledge, no previous descriptions of Gerbode defect associated with bacterial endocarditis in domestic animals have been reported in veterinary literature.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12949418/