Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with porcupine quill in heart treated with surgery
By Nucci, Daniel Joseph Santiago & Liptak, Julius·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2016·From the Alta Vista Animal Hospital, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The Diagnosis and Surgical Management of Intracardiac Quill Foreign Body in a Dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog was brought to the vet with breathing problems, specifically rapid and labored breathing, after a porcupine quill accidentally pierced its heart. Despite initial tests not showing the quill, surgery was performed to remove it from the heart. Fortunately, the dog recovered well after the surgery. This case highlights that while quill injuries are common in dogs, those that migrate to the heart are rare but can have a good outcome if treated promptly.
People also search for: dog breathing problems porcupine quill · dog heart injury treatment · dog surgery recovery after quill removal
Abstract
A dog was referred to Alta Vista Animal Hospital with a porcupine quill penetrating the right ventricle. The presenting complaint was tachypnea and dyspnea secondary to bilateral pneumothorax. Computed tomography revealed bilateral pneumothorax without evidence of quills. A median sternotomy was performed and the quill was removed. The dog recovered uneventfully. Quill injuries are common in dogs; however, intracardiac quill migration is rare. Dogs without evidence of severe cardiac injury secondary to intracardiac foreign bodies may have a good prognosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26606212/