Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog developed right atrial blood clot after heart rhythm treatment
By Karn, Marta et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2023·College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Right atrial thrombus formation in a dog after successful electrical cardioversion for atrial fibrillation.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old mastiff was brought in for vomiting and occasional coughing that had lasted several weeks. After diagnosing him with heart issues, the vet performed a procedure called electrical cardioversion to correct his heart rhythm. Two weeks later, an echocardiogram revealed a mass in the right atrium, which was likely a blood clot that formed after the procedure. Fortunately, after two months of treatment with blood thinners, the mass disappeared, and follow-up tests showed no further issues.
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Abstract
Right atrial masses in dogs are commonly diagnosed as malignant tumors. This report describes a dog with a right atrial mass that appeared after successful electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation and resolved with antithrombotic treatment. A 9-year-old mastiff was presented for acute vomiting, and occasional cough of several weeks' duration. Ultrasonographic and radiographic examinations of the abdomen and chest identified mechanical ileus, as well as pleural effusion and pulmonary edema, respectively. Echocardiography indicated a dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype. During anesthetic induction for laparotomy, atrial fibrillation developed. Electrical cardioversion successfully restored sinus rhythm. An echocardiogram performed 2 weeks later disclosed a right atrial mass, which had not been apparent before cardioversion. Repeat echocardiography after 2 months of clopidogrel and enoxaparin treatment failed to detect the mass. Intra-atrial thrombus formation is possible after successful cardioversion of atrial fibrillation and should be considered as a differential diagnosis for echocardiographically detected atrial masses.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37382418/