MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FINDINGS IN A DOG WITH CAUDAL AORTIC THROMBOEMBOLISM AND ISCHEMIC MYOPATHY

Distal abdominal aortic thrombosis diagnosed by three-dimensional contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography

Contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) can provide noninvasive relatively rapid three-dimensional high-detailed vascular images over large anatomic areas. There are few descriptions of the use of contrast-enhanced MRA in veterinary patients. This is a report illustrating the use of contrast-enhanced MRA to localize the full extent of distal aortic, external iliac, and femoral artery thrombi confirmed surgically in four dogs. Distal aorta contrast-enhanced MRA was anatomically accurate in detecting the full extent of thrombi involving the aorta, external iliac and femoral arteries in these four canine patients. This procedure can provide important information for surgery.

Internal thoracic artery-caudal epigastric artery as a collateral pathway in a dog with aortic occlusion: a case report

Aortic occlusion is a rare vascular disorder in the dog. This report describes the clinical feature of an aged Boxer with complete occlusion of the abdominal aorta caused by an intraluminal thrombus. Angiography evidenced a collateral circulation, represented by the internal thoracic artery, the cranial epigastric artery and the caudal epigastric artery, providing adequate blood flow to the pelvis and pelvic limbs. This vascular network has only recently been recognised as one of the major collateral pathways for arterial blood supply to the pelvis and lower extremities in humans with chronic aorto-iliac occlusive disease (CAOD). Furthermore, a femoral artery Doppler waveform, characterised by low amplitude, a monophasic systolic wave with blunted parabolic flow profile and a small spectral window, peculiar to humans with CAOD, is documented for the first time in a dog with aortic occlusion.

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS?AORTIC THROMBOEMBOLISM ASSOCIATED WITH SPIROCERCOSIS IN A DOG

An 8-year-old neutered female Rhodesian Ridgeback developed acute, nonneurological right pelvic limb lameness. Femoral pulsation was poor, and oscillometric blood pressure measurements between the two pelvic limbs differed markedly. A caudal aortic right external iliac embolus was detected sonographically. Radiographically, there was a caudal esophageal mass and thoracic vertebral spondylitis typical of spirocercosis. Using CT-angiography, a caudal thoracic aortic aneurysm with a mural thrombus was detected. The dog recovered following heparin and aspirin therapy but signs recurred 7 months later. Subsequently, the patient improved on treatment and remains asymptomatic. This report illustrates the value of CT-angiography in detecting aortic thrombosis in dogs with spirocercosis.