1. IDIOPATHIC PERICARDIAL
EFFUSION IN DOGS –A THREE
YEAR STUDY
By Katarina Pirtonen, VM1
2011

2. OUTLINE
 Introduction
 Study of Veterinary Hospital Bhoiguda
 Symptoms of the pericardial effusion
 Diagnosing
 Results
 Treatment
 References

3. INTRODUCTION
 Pericardial disease is not
usual cardiac disease of
dogs. In pericardial
diseases, the fluid
bunches up to the
pericardial sac.
 The most common causes
of pericardial effusion in
dogs are cardiac
hemangiosarcoma, idiopa
thic pericardial effusion
and
chemodectoma, which
lead to right sided heart
failure.

4. STUDY OF VETERINARY HOSPITAL
BHOIGUDA
 28dogs out of 811 dogs
of different breed, sex
and heart
problems, were
diagnosed with
idiopathic pericardial
effusion (IPE).
 The IPE was
discovered in 13
Labrador retrievers, 6
Doberman pinschers, 5
German Shepards , 3
Spitz and 1 Great Dane.

5. STUDY OF VETERINARY HOSPITAL
BHOIGUDA
 The survey
revealed, that
pericardial effusion
occurs often in male
dogs at the age of
7,18 yrs
 The Labrador
retrievers were most
prone to the disease.

6. SYMPTOMS OF THE PERICARDIAL
EFFUSION
 exercise intolerance
 dyspnoea at rest
 weakness
 ascites
 cough
 anorexia
 pallor mucosa and
cyanotic mucosa
 syncope following
exertion or exercise
and peripheral edema
 muffling sounds

7. DIAGNOSING
 Echocardiography
was the most delicate
way of diagnosing
pericardial effusion
 Useful to distinguish
different cardiac
diseases which cause
cardiomegaly on
radiograph

8. RESULTS
 By echocardiography
there were found free
space area
(hypoechoic to
anechoic) between
epicardium and
pericardium
 low voltage QRS
complexes with
electrical alterans
 enlarged heart

9. TREATMENT
 The most efficient
treatment were
pericardiocentesis
with frusemide and
ramipril
 The improvement in
physical
activity, appetite and
general condition was
noticed
 Also cough, dyspnoea
and cardiac murmurs
alleviated.

10. REFERENCES
 Idiopathic Pericardial Effusion in Dogs - A
three year study
 K. Satish Kumar, V. V. V. Amruth Kumar, P.
Nagaraj, and D. S. Tirumala Rao
 Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine
College of Veterinary Science, Rajendranagar
Hyderabad – 500 030,
Andhra Pradesh, India
 http://vetscan.co.in/v6n1/78-Idiopathic-
Pericardial-Effusion-Dogs.htm