Diagnosis of congenital aneurysmal giant right auricle in a dog.

A five-year-old intact male Golden Retriever was sent to our center for a second cardiac evaluation after the diagnosis of right atrial dilatation. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiographic evaluation and echo-contrast study were performed. A diagnosis of aneurysmal right auricle was issued without any sign of other cardiac pathologies. The tomographic evaluation was necessary to estimate the dimension of the aneurysmal area and exclude pericardial defects that may justify this anomaly. This report describes a rare case of aneurysmal giant right auricle in dogs. The diagnosis is accurate with the association of echocardiography and computed tomography.

Acute pulmonary edema in a dog with severe pulmonary valve stenosis: A rare complication after balloon valvuloplasty.

Pulmonic stenosis is a frequent congenital heart disease in dogs, and the treatment of choice is balloon valvuloplasty which is usually safe and successful. The authors describe for the first time a severe complication after balloon valvuloplasty in a five-month-old dog. After effective treatment, with a considerable drop in right ventricular pressures, the dog developed hypoxemia and dyspnea due to pulmonary edema. The dog underwent intensive care and symptoms improved after a few hours of oxygen therapy, continuous positive airway pressure, and furosemide. Although this event is rare, it could have a large impact on patient survival and should be considered in the treatment of severe pulmonary valve stenosis in the future.

Branch pulmonary artery stent placement in a dog with heart base neoplasia.

A 7-year-old French bulldog was presented for evaluation of cardiac neoplasia. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography revealed a mass on the base of the heart, compressing the right pulmonary artery. Computed tomography exam confirmed that a surgical approach to remove the mass would not be viable. Stent placement in the right pulmonary artery was performed to relieve external compression caused by the neoplasia. When surgery is not feasible, pulmonary artery stenting could be one aspect of a multidisciplinary approach to palliative management of heart base neoplasia.

Real-time three-dimensional echocardiographic study of a cardiac hemangiosarcoma in a dog.

A 7-year-old Golden Retriever was presented for a second opinion regarding a cardiac mass. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated presence of a mass in the area of the right atrium. The mass appeared adherent and possibly infiltrative to the external wall of the right atrium. Three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography allowed better visualization of the neoplasia, suggesting that it was not infiltrative and contributed significantly to the decision to carry out the surgical resection of the cardiac tumor. This case report demonstrates the use of three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography in the diagnostic evaluation of cardiac masses in dogs without the need for general anesthesia.

Complications during catheter-mediated patent ductus arteriosus closure and pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and illustrate complications of cardiac catheterisation and the associated risk factors of the most common cardiac intervention procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of clinical records of client-owned dogs presented to a cardiology referral centre between January 2006 and December 2017. RESULTS: Five hundred and twenty-four dogs were included, 62 of which had complications. Complications were divided into technical complications and those due to unexpected additional anatomical abnormalities. Seven procedures (1.33%) were interrupted; five dogs (0.95%) subsequently underwent surgery, and four dogs died during the interventional procedure, indicating a mortality rate of 0.76% CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: There is a low risk of complications following closure of patent ductus arteriosus or pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty when carried out by a trained team using standardised procedures in a referral centre.

Clinical, echocardiographic and advanced imaging characteristics of 13 dogs with systemic-to-pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas.

OBJECTIVES: The objective is to describe the clinical, radiographic, echocardiographic and angiographic findings in dogs with systemic-to-pulmonary arteriovenous fistula (SPAVF). ANIMALS: Thirteen medical records of client-owned dogs with a diagnosis of SPAVF were reviewed/analysed. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of case records. Thoracic radiography, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), three-dimensional TEE, intracardiac echocardiography, fluoroscopy-guided or computed tomography (CT) angiography were carried out. RESULTS: Based on the TTE, SPAVF was identified in seven of the included dogs. In eight cases, TEE and angiography were both performed and confirmed the diagnosis. Computed tomography angiography was performed in three dogs. A case was diagnosed by TEE alone, another one by three-dimensional TEE and the latter by intracardiac echocardiography. CONCLUSIONS: Transthoracic echocardiography identified seven cases of SPAVF, while definitive diagnosis in the remaining dogs required selective angiography or computed tomography angiography.