Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with pacemaker lead piercing right heart and Moraxella infection
By Ciavarella, A et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2016·Advanced Vetcare, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pacemaker lead perforation of the right ventricle associated with Moraxella phenylpyruvica infection in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 13-year-old neutered male Border Collie suddenly collapsed and showed signs of weakness and loss of appetite about 10 months after getting a pacemaker. The dog was found to have a slow heart rate and a high fever, and tests revealed that the pacemaker lead had perforated the heart and moved into the chest cavity. Unfortunately, the dog was euthanized, and tests showed a rare infection caused by Moraxella phenylpyruvica. Regular checks on pacemaker function could help catch such issues early in the future.
People also search for: dog pacemaker complications · Border Collie heart problems · Moraxella infection in dogs
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION: A 13-year-old neutered male Border Collie was presented with acute onset syncope, weakness and anorexia 10 months after transvenous pacemaker implantation. The patient was laterally recumbent, bradycardic (36 beats/min) and febrile (40.7°C) on presentation. An electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed recurrence of third-degree atrioventricular block with a ventricular escape rhythm. Fluoroscopy identified migration of the pacemaker tip through the apex of the right ventricle. Echocardiography failed to reveal any evidence of pericardial effusion or cardiac tamponade. Full postmortem was performed after euthanasia. The pacemaker lead had perforated the apex of the right ventricle and lodged in the right pleural space. Culture of blood (taken antemortem), pericardial sac, right ventricular wall (surrounding pacemaker lead), pacemaker lead tip and pericardial fluid revealed a pure growth of Moraxella phenylpyruvica. CONCLUSION: Bacteraemia associated with M. phenylpyruvica has never been reported in the dog, but sporadic cases are reported in humans. Infection could have resulted from either pre-existing myocarditis or opportunistic infection and bacteraemia post pacemaker implantation. Evaluation of the pacemaker function at regular intervals would allow early detection of poor pacemaker-to-myocardium contact, which would prompt further investigation of pacemaker lead abnormalities such as perforation.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27021890/