Thrombotic endocarditis in 10 alpacas.
BACKGROUND
A description of the clinical signs and necropsy findings in 10 alpacas with thrombotic endocarditis.


METHODS
Clinical cases admitted to 2 veterinary referral hospitals between May 1998 and December 2006.


METHODS
A retrospective study was performed by searching hospital records to identify alpacas diagnosed with endocarditis.


RESULTS
Common clinical findings included sternal recumbency, tachycardia, tachypnea, and abdominal distension. Heart sounds were recorded as normal in 7 of 10 alpacas. Pleural and pericardial effusion and ascites were often present. Complete blood cell counts often suggested inflammation, and liver enzyme activity was often increased. When echocardiography was performed, a soft tissue density was imaged within the right ventricle. All alpacas died or were euthanized. Necropsy revealed mural endocarditis with right ventricular or biventricular fibrinous thrombi obliterating the ventricular lumina with no valvular involvement in 6 of 10 affected animals. Bacteria were not consistently identified as a cause for the endocarditic lesions. Eight of the 10 alpacas had evidence of hepatic fluke infestation.


CONCLUSIONS
Valvular and mural thrombotic endocarditis should be included in the list of differential diagnoses for hepatomegaly, abdominal distension, and other signs of right-sided congestive heart failure in alpacas. The prognosis of this disease is grave.
Firshman
A M
AM
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA. anna.firshman@oregonstate.edu
Wünschmann
A
A
Cebra
C K
CK
Bildfell
R
R
McClanahan
S L
SL
Valentine
B A
BA
McKenzie
E
E
Waitt
L
L
Margiocco
M
M
Sisson
D D
DD
D000818:Animals; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D002161:Camelids, New World; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*