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A 9-year-old mixed-breed dog was evaluated for dental malocclusion secondary to mandibular fractures that had been repaired after the dog had been hit by a car. The dog had hypernatremia, high plasma osmolality, low urine osmolality, and hyposthenuria with adequate fluid administration. Skull radiography revealed a fracture line at approximately the level of the pituitary fossa. Administration of exogenous vasopressin resulted in an increase in urine specific gravity and urine osmolality, a decrease in serum osmolality, and a normalization of serum sodium concentrations. Follow-up evaluation revealed a reduction in the frequency of exogenous treatment with vasopressin over the ensuing months, indicating transient, traumatically induced, central diabetes insipidus.

Trypanosoma cruzi was believed responsible for causing chronic dilatative myocarditis in 2 female hunting dogs. Clinical signs included ascites, respiratory distress, thoracic effusion, cyanosis, and weak pulse with ventricular arrhythmias. Electrocardiography indicated first-degree heart block, chamber enlargement, and ventricular-based arrhythmias unresponsive to treatment. M-mode echocardiography of 1 dog confirmed bilateral cardiac enlargement and septal and left ventricular free wall thinning. Multifocal infiltrates of plasma cells, lymphocytes, and histiocytes, cardiocyte degeneration, and multifocal fibrosis were the predominant histologic lesions. Trypanosoma cruzi pseudocysts were infrequently found.