Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with fluid around heart caused by pericardial hemangiosarcoma
By Gunasekaran, T et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2019·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pericardial Effusion in a Dog with Pericardial Hemangiosarcoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A Jack Russell terrier was brought in for evaluation of fluid buildup in the abdomen and chest, which was causing serious health issues. Tests showed that the dog's heart was affected by a thickened pericardium (the membrane around the heart) and an abnormal heart rhythm. The vet performed surgery to remove part of the pericardium and implanted a pacemaker to help with the heart's function. Unfortunately, the dog was later diagnosed with a type of cancer called hemangiosarcoma, and despite starting chemotherapy, the condition worsened, leading to the difficult decision to euthanize the dog four months after surgery.
People also search for: dog fluid in abdomen treatment · Jack Russell heart problems · hemangiosarcoma in dogs · dog pacemaker surgery · dog chemotherapy side effects
Abstract
An adult Jack Russel terrier dog presented for evaluation of large-volume peritoneal and pleural effusion. Echocardiography revealed scant pericardial effusion and abnormally thickened pericardium. Electrocardiography revealed complete atrioventricular block with junctional and ventricular escape beats and occasional ventricular premature complexes. Computed tomography of the thorax confirmed diffuse abnormal thickening of the pericardium, and a tentative diagnosis of constrictive-effusive pericarditis was made. The dog underwent subtotal pericardiectomy to remove the parietal pericardium and permanent epicardial pacemaker implantation to manage bradycardia. Based on pericardial histopathology and immunohistochemistry, a diagnosis of pericardial hemangiosarcoma was made. Systemic chemotherapy was initiated with doxorubicin 1 month after surgery. Despite initial improvement with chemotherapy, the dog was euthanized 4 months after surgery because of development of recurrent pleural effusion. To the author's knowledge, this is the first case report in dogs to describe isolated pericardial location of hemangiosarcoma resulting in constrictive-effusive pericarditis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31174732/