Nine-month evaluation of dogs after open-heart surgical removal of heartworms.
Adult heartworms were surgically removed from 4 infected dogs by use of intracardiac techniques during cardiopulmonary bypass. The number of worms removed ranged from 12 to 14 per dog. Observation for 9 months after surgery gave no clinical evidence of active adult heartworm infection, in spite of the consistent finding of circulating microfilariae during the follow-up period. There were no significant early or late postoperative complications. Results of postoperative hematologic and biochemical studies were unremarkable. At necropsy (following euthanasia, 9 months after surgery) the heart and pulmonary arteries of all dogs were free of adult heartworms; pathologic changes attributable to residual infection were not found.
D000818:Animals; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000662:veterinary*; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005500:Follow-Up Studies