Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Boxer dog with muscle and heart inflammation and nerve damage
By Rossman, Paul M et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2018·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Myositis, Ganglioneuritis, and Myocarditis with Distinct Perifascicular Muscle Atrophy in a 2-Year-Old Male Boxer.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old male Boxer was brought to the vet for chronic diarrhea, lack of appetite, labored breathing, and weakness. Tests showed issues with his muscles and heart, and he developed serious complications like aspiration pneumonia. Despite treatment efforts, his condition worsened rapidly, leading to the heartbreaking decision of humane euthanasia. A postmortem examination revealed severe inflammation in his muscles and heart, indicating a rare and serious inflammatory condition.
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Abstract
A 2-year-old male, intact Boxer was referred for chronic diarrhea, hyporexia, labored breathing, weakness and elevated creatine kinase, and alanine aminotransferase activities. Initial examination and diagnostics revealed a peripheral nervous system neurolocalization, atrial premature complexes, and generalized megaesophagus. Progressive worsening of the dog's condition was noted after 36 h; the dog developed aspiration pneumonia, was febrile and oxygen dependent. The owners elected humane euthanasia. Immediately postmortem biopsies of the left cranial tibial and triceps muscles and the left peroneal nerve were obtained. Postmortem histology revealed concurrent myositis, myocarditis, endocarditis, and ganglioneuritis. Mixed mononuclear cell infiltrations and a distinct perifascicular pattern of muscle fiber atrophy was present in both muscles. This is a novel case of diffuse inflammatory myopathy with a distinct perifascicular pattern of atrophy in addition to endocarditis, myocarditis, and epicarditis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29516006/