Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Golden Retriever with air around heart after fall and breathing
By Hassan, Elham A et al.·Published in Topics in companion animal medicine·2015·Department of Surgery·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pneumopericardium Secondary to Pneumomediastinum in a Golden Retriever Dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old Golden Retriever was brought to the vet for breathing problems after falling from a height. X-rays showed gas around the heart, a condition called pneumopericardium, which can happen after trauma. The vet found that the dog's heart was functioning normally despite the unusual findings. Fortunately, the dog responded well to medical treatment and improved without needing surgery.
People also search for: dog breathing problems after fall · Golden Retriever pneumopericardium treatment · dog respiratory distress causes
Abstract
Pneumopericardium is a rare finding that has been previously reported following spontaneous, traumatic, or iatrogenic causes. A 3-year old Golden Retriever dog was admitted with respiratory distress after falling from a height. Clinical and electrocardiographic findings were nonspecific. Thoracic radiography revealed hyperinflated lung with sharp outlining of the mediastinal structures. A well-demarcated region of radiolucent gas opacity was seen surrounding the cardiac silhouette. Echocardiography revealed intense hyper-reflective shadows all over the heart. Echocardiographic measurements were within the reference range. The dog responded well to conservative medical therapy. Pneumopericardium was reported secondary to pneumomediastinum; pneumopericardium is self-limiting unless other complications develop.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26359726/