Constrictive pericardial diease is a condition caused by a thickened and inelastic pericardium that limits ventricular filling during diastole. Clinical signs include those consistent with right-sided heart failure and decreased cardiac output. Diagnosis is based on the demonstration of the following criteria: 1) dissociation of intrathoracic and intracardiac pressures; and 2) exaggerated ventricular interdependence in diastolic filling. Constrictive pericardial disease is due to thickening and fibrosis of the pericardium that can be the end result of several disease processes including idiopathic constrictive pericarditis, inflammatory/infectious diseases, calcification, neoplasia, etc. Treatment consists of pericardectomy for palliation of clinical signs and for definitve diagnosis of the underlying cause. The prognosis for constrictive disease depends on the results of hispathology and culture and sensitivity.