ABSTRACT
A six-year-old, neutered male Siberian husky was presented for euthanasia for end-stage liver disease. Examination of the dog raised questions regarding the severity of the condition. It had presented to the referring veterinarian with polyuria, polydipsia and weight loss. Blood tests at that time revealed elevated liver enzymes and hypoalbuminaemia. Cirrhosis was presumptively diagnosed, based on an ultrasound examination, which showed ascites with a normal liver. The dog had a history of hypothyroidism, which was controlled with levothyroxine. Physical examination revealed cachexia. A second abdominal ultrasound examination was performed and revealed portal vein and aortic thromboses. Tick titres showed a positive Ehrlichia canis titre of 1:640. Skin biopsies showed lymphoplasmacytic vasculitis. Doxycycline and aspirin treatment was initiated, and the clinical signs resolved. The authors concluded that the thrombi were primarily caused by chronic ehrlichiosis, based on the clinical findings and the response to treatment.
Subject(s)
Aorta, Thoracic , Dog Diseases/diagnosis , Ehrlichiosis/veterinary , Hypothyroidism/veterinary , Portal Vein , Thrombosis/veterinary , Animals , Aspirin/therapeutic use , Diagnosis, Differential , Dog Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Dog Diseases/drug therapy , Dog Diseases/pathology , Dogs , Doxycycline/therapeutic use , Ehrlichia canis/isolation & purification , Ehrlichiosis/complications , Ehrlichiosis/diagnosis , Hypothyroidism/complications , Hypothyroidism/diagnosis , Liver Cirrhosis/complications , Liver Cirrhosis/diagnosis , Liver Cirrhosis/veterinary , Male , Thrombosis/complications , Thrombosis/diagnosis , Thyroxine/therapeutic use , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
Hemorrhage from the gastrointestinal tract of a young dog resulted in melena with concurrent anemia. Exploratory laparotomy revealed the hemorrhage originated from an arteriovenous fistula in the jejunum. Resection of the abnormal part of the jejunum was curative. The arteriovenous fistula in the dog was probably congenital in origin, but may have been the result of gastrointestinal tract trauma.
