Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Spontaneous echocardiographic contrast in three dogs with heart
By Ralph, Alan G et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care (San Antonio, Tex. : 2001)·2011·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Spontaneous echocardiographic contrast in three dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Three dogs were diagnosed with spontaneous echocardiographic contrast (SEC), which can indicate a risk for blood clots. One dog had an infection in the heart valve, another had a blood disorder, and the third was suspected to have sepsis. Each dog received treatment for their specific condition, along with medication to prevent blood clots. Fortunately, all three dogs recovered and were discharged from the veterinary hospital, with good health reported during follow-up visits lasting from three weeks to seven months.
People also search for: dog heart problems treatment · dog sepsis symptoms · dog blood clot prevention
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical presentation and outcome in 3 dogs with spontaneous echocardiographic contrast (SEC). CASE OR SERIES SUMMARY: SEC was identified in 3 dogs with concurrent hyperfibrinogenemia. The dogs were diagnosed with different underlying conditions including infective endocarditis of the mitral valve (Case 1), presumptive Evan's syndrome (Case 2), and presumptive sepsis (Case 3). Various therapies were used in each case directed at their underlying condition, in addition to thromboprophylaxis that were based upon a perceived risk of thromboembolic disease. The 3 dogs in this series survived to discharge and had good outcome during the follow-up period, which ranged from 3 weeks to 7 months. NEW OR UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED: SEC is considered a marker for thromboembolic disease in people and can occur in dogs in the absence of significant cardiomegaly. SEC in these 3 dogs may be related to the documented hyperfibrinogenemia. Further investigation is warranted to determine whether dogs with SEC are at an increased risk for thromboembolic complications.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21463443/