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Vet Pathol 40:579-582 (2003)
© 2003 American College of Veterinary Pathologists
BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS AND CASE REPORTS

Left Ventricular Outflow Tract-Right Atrial Communication (Gerbode Type Defect) Associated with Bacterial Endocarditis in a Dog

G. A. Ramírez, A. Espinosa de los Monteros, F. Rodríguez, S. E. Weisbrode, J. R. Jaber and P. Herráez

Abstract

Left ventricular (LV) outflow tract-right atrial (RA) communication associated with bacterial endocarditis is described in a 6-year-old intact male Great Pyrenees dog with a 4- to 5-day history of fever, lethargy, weight loss, severe regenerative anemia, and asplenia. Typical vegetative mural endocardial lesions were observed grossly. Histologic evaluation revealed small gram-negative coccobacilli that were consistent with Bordetella avium–like organisms. These bacteria were associated with severe endocardial inflammation characterized by neutrophilic infiltration, extensive necrosis of endocardium, and fibrin deposition. LV-RA shunt (Gerbode defect) is a rare cardiac defect in humans that can be either congenital or, more rarely, secondary to septic endocarditis, valve replacement procedures, or thoracic trauma. B. avium–like organisms causing septicemia and endocarditis in immunocompromised and asplenic human patients have been described. To our knowledge, no previous descriptions of Gerbode defect associated with bacterial endocarditis in domestic animals have been reported in veterinary literature.

Key words: Bordetella avium–like organisms; dogs; endocarditis; Gerbode defect; heart; intracardiac shunt; left ventricular-right atrial communication.

Request reprints from Dr. G. A. Ramírez, Departamento de Morfología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontaña s/n, 35416 Arucas, Las Palmas (Spain). E-mail: gramirez{at}becarios.ulpgc.es.






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