Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Severe haemoptysis associated with seizures in a dog.
- Journal:
- New Zealand veterinary journal
- Year:
- 2008
- Authors:
- James, F E et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences · Australia
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old neutered male German Shepherd was brought to the vet after experiencing three episodes of severe coughing up blood and trouble breathing over three weeks. Before the third episode, the dog had a seizure where his body stiffened and shook. X-rays of the chest showed serious lung issues, but other tests, including scans of the brain and spine, didn’t show any problems. The bleeding in the lungs was thought to be caused by either fluid buildup due to the seizures or the bursting of tiny blood vessels in the lungs. This case is unique as it’s the first time such severe bleeding has been linked to seizures in a dog.
Abstract
CASE HISTORY: A 7-year-old, sterilised male German Shepherd dog was presented with a history of three episodes of severe haemoptysis and associated dyspnoea within a 3-week period. A generalised tonic-clonic seizure was witnessed preceding the third episode. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Thoracic radiographs revealed a severe bilateral alveolar lung pattern of the caudodorsal lung fields; extension into the left cranial lung lobe was present but pulmonary vessels were within normal size limits. Frank blood was the only abnormality present at bronchoscopy. A coagulation profile, parasitological screening, thoracic and brain computed tomography (CT), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytological analysis did not identify any abnormalities. DIAGNOSIS: Haemoptysis due to either severe neurogenic pulmonary oedema or rupture of the pulmonary capillaries secondary to seizures was considered a possible diagnosis. The primary generalised seizures were attributed to late-onset idiopathic epilepsy diagnosed by exclusion of other causes. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This is the first known case report describing severe haemoptysis associated with seizures in a dog.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18408796/