Aortic Thromboembolism in a Small Breed Dog
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A 7 year-old female spayed Maltese mixed breed dog was referred to the Emergency Service at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals for acute onset paraplegia. The patient had seen the referring veterinarian shortly after clinical signs began and a presumptive diagnosis of intervertebral disc disease was made; the patient was referred to Cornell for further evaluation. On presentation to the Emergency Service, the patient was paraplegic, but deep pain sensation remained intact. Absent femoral pulses were noted bilaterally and the hind paws were cool to the touch when compared to the front paws. Blood pressure was unmeasurable in both pelvic limbs, but was normal in the thoracic limbs. These findings, coupled with a brief, point of care echocardiogram that showed a mass lesion (suspected thrombus) within the left ventricle, were highly suggestive of an aortic thromboembolism. Serial bloodwork, a urinalysis, blood and urine cultures, serial abdominal ultrasounds, an echocardiogram, thoracic radiographs, and a thromboelastogram were supportive of an aortic thromboembolism. The dog was hospitalized for 6 days with slight improvement and discharged on anti-coagulant therapy, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and pain control. Several recheck examinations showed improving motor function, increasingly palpable femoral pulses, as well as dissipation of the presumptive left ventricular thrombus. This report will describe the pertinent clinical findings, diagnostics and treatment in a dog with an aortic thromboembolism.