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Objective: To characterize lung ultrasonography (LUS) findings in dogs with a primary clinical complaint of cough., Animals: 100 client-owned coughing dogs., Procedures: A standardized LUS examination was performed for all dogs to quantify the number of B lines and identify subpleural abnormalities at 4 sites on each hemithorax. The final clinical diagnosis (reference standard) was determined by medical record review, and sensitivity and specificity of LUS for the diagnosis of selected causes of cough was determined., Results: Common underlying causes of cough included dynamic airway collapse (n = 37), cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CPE; 12), and bronchitis (10). Compared with dogs with other causes of cough, dogs with bacterial pneumonia (n = 7) were more likely to have subpleural shred signs, whereas dogs with pulmonary neoplasia (4) were more likely to have subpleural nodule signs. Dogs with CPE had higher total B-line scores and higher numbers of LUS sites strongly positive for B lines (> 3 B lines/site) than other dogs. The LUS criteria of total B-line score ≥ 10 and presence of ≥ 2 sites strongly positive for B lines were each 92% sensitive and 94% specific for CPE diagnosis. Notably, 18% (16/88) of dogs with noncardiac causes of cough had been treated previously with diuretics because of prior CPE misdiagnosis., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: LUS profiles in dogs with cough differed by the underlying cause. In dogs with a clinical history of cough, this imaging modality could be diagnostically useful, particularly to help exclude the possibility of underlying CPE.

CASE DESCRIPTION A 9-year-old spayed female Dalmatian was examined because of progressive pelvic limb paraparesis. CLINICAL FINDINGS The dog had a history of chronic urinary incontinence and had been treated with phenylpropanolamine (PPA) for almost 8.5 years. Intervertebral disk disease at T12-13 was diagnosed, and a hemilaminectomy was performed. Three days after surgery, the dog developed a ventricular tachyarrhythmia. Severe left and mild right ventricular hypertrophy were detected by echocardiography. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME The arrhythmia was controlled with sotalol. Phenylpropanolamine administration was discontinued immediately before surgery and was not resumed. Heart rate and rhythm and blood pressure were within reference limits, and the ventricular hypertrophy had almost completely resolved 5 months later. Sotalol administration was discontinued. Shortly after the 5-month recheck evaluation, PPA administration was resumed, albeit at a lower dosage than that before surgery, for control of urinary incontinence. At the 10-month recheck evaluation, the dog was hypertensive and ventricular hypertrophy had recurred. Discontinuation of PPA administration was recommended but not heeded. The dog developed marked azotemia 1.5 years after surgery, which was managed by the referring veterinarian, and was subsequently lost to follow-up. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The fact that the ventricular hypertrophy almost completely resolved when PPA administration was discontinued and then recurred after it was resumed strongly suggested the drug was an important contributing factor to the cardiac disease of this patient. Patients receiving PPA on a long-term basis should be frequently monitored for cardiac disease, and use of other adrenergic receptor agonists should be avoided in such patients.

Baseline plasma norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EPI) concentrations were measured in dogs with naturally acquired heart failure (HF) caused by either degenerative mitral valve disease and mitral regurgitation (MR) or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Compared with controls (clinically normal), dogs with HF had increased plasma NE concentration, which was correlated positively with clinical severity of HF. Dogs with the most severe degree of HF (New York Heart Association functional class IV) had mean NE concentration significantly (P less than 0.05) greater than that of dogs with all other functional classes of HF. Overall, mean NE concentration in dogs with DCM was greater than that in dogs with MR. Plasma EPI concentration was not different between control dogs and dogs with HF or between dogs with DCM or MR. Correlations were not found between the echocardiographically derived end systolic volume index (used as an estimate of myocardial function) and plasma NE and EPI concentrations or serum sodium or potassium concentration. Dogs with DCM, as a group, had a small but significant (P less than 0.05) decrease in serum sodium concentration, compared with dogs with MR. This difference was maintained only for class-IV HF when dogs were separated according to functional HF class. In dogs with DCM, significant inverse correlation was found between plasma NE and serum sodium concentrations. When grouped together, all dogs with HF maintained this relationship; however, dogs with MR did not have correlation between plasma NE and serum sodium concentrations. Plasma EPI and serum sodium concentrations were not correlated for any group. It was concluded that in dogs, plasma NE, but not EPI, concentration is high in relation to the clinical severity of naturally acquired HF.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Intracardiac rhabdomyosarcoma was diagnosed in a 14-month-old Golden Retriever referred for evaluation of syncope. The dog was weak, with irregular heart rate, pulse deficit, heart murmur, and hepatomegaly. Thoracic radiography revealed generalized cardiomegaly, and electrocardiography revealed sinus rhythm with multiform ventricular premature complexes and intermittent ventricular tachycardia. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed extensive soft-tissue density masses in both ventricles. An intracardiac neoplasm seen at postmortem examination was identified histologically as rhabdomyosarcoma, an uncommon intracardiac tumor in dogs.

A 5-year-old cow developed signs of bacterial endocarditis subsequent to parturition and mastitis. Massive vegetative lesions on the pulmonic valve were imaged with 2-dimensional echocardiography.

An 8-year-old mixed-breed dog was evaluated for caudal paresis. Transient lameness of the left hind and left forelimbs had developed during the preceding week. Clinical findings included conscious proprioceptive deficits, hyporeflexive tendon reflexes and decreased pain perception, coolness in the hind limbs and left forelimb, and absence of femoral pulses. A fluid-dense mass was radiographically identified adjacent to the left atrium. Echocardiography revealed a mass in the left atrium and spontaneous contrast in the left ventricular lumen and aortic root. The dog was euthanatized because of its deteriorating condition. A large mass was adhered to the dorsal left atrial wall and had eroded into the atrial lumen. A sterile blood clot was attached to this site, and sterile thrombi were in the terminal portion of the aorta. Histologically, the mass was found to be hilar lymph node with chronic pyogranulomatous inflammation containing organisms characteristic of Blastomyces dermatitidis.

Chylothorax associated with congestive cardiomypathy was diagnosed in a 10-year-old male castrated domestic shorthair cat via analysis of pleural fluid. The triglyceride concentration in the pleural fluid was high (579 mg/dl), compared with that in serum (87 mg/dl), and the fluid cleared with ether. Evidence of atrial and left ventricular enlargement was found via electrocardiography and thoracic radiography. Left-sided cardiac dilatation and reduced systolic motion of the left ventricle were revealed by echocardiography. The cat was treated with digoxin, furosemide, and aspirin. Two months after initiation of treatment, fluid (265 ml) was aspirated from the pleural cavity. Two months after this procedure, the cat was doing well, with minimal pleural fluid production.

An adult cat with vague signs of gastrointestinal dysfunction was found to have a congenital portosystemic shunt. There were no signs of hepatoencephalopathy, which is in contrast to what has been reported in other cats with the disease.