Diagnosis and Management of Dilated Cardiomyopathy in a Dog

One year old male Dalmatian dog was presented with clinical signs of coughing, severe progressive dyspnea, fever, exercise intolerance and lethargy. Radiographic examination revealed severe perihilar edema and alveolar pattern in caudal lung lobe, dilated pulmonary vein and increased tracheal bifurcation angle. Hematological examination revealed anemia with neutrophilic leukocytosis, serum biochemical analysis revealed altered liver and renal function tests and high level of cardiac biomarker cTnI. Cytological examination of pleural fluid indicated active adhesive pleuritis. Tall, wide and deep QRS complexes in ECG tracing indicated biventricular enlargement of heart. On Echocardiography, there was left ventricular chamber enlargement with low FS and EF indicating reduced contractibility and systolic heart failure. High E:A ratio and decreased MV decelration time showed restrictive filling pattern which might be responsible for poor survival in present subject. Medical treatment with Frusemide, Enalapril, L-Carnitine with salt restricted diet resulted in significant temporary recovery. However, after two months the congestive heart failure progressed leading to sudden death.