title: Spontaneous pneumothorax in a dog secondary to Dirofilaria immitis infection.
abstract: A 5-year-old female spayed Labrador Retriever dog was referred to the Louisiana State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital for treatment of pneumothorax. Thoracic radiographs and computed tomography showed spontaneous pneumothorax, thoracic lymphadenopathy, pulmonary hypertension, and multifocal pulmonary bulla lesions. At surgery, numerous adult nematodes protruded from the parenchyma of the left caudal and accessory lung lobes and pulmonary arteries. On histopathology, multiple adult filarid nematodes were observed within the pulmonary blood vessels. Broad foci of necrosis of the pulmonary parenchyma were present. The tunica intima of the pulmonary arteries was markedly thickened by intimal fibrosis and medial hypertrophy. The final diagnosis was severe Dirofilaria immitis infection that resulted in pulmonary vascular lesions and focally extensive infarcts of the pulmonary parenchyma with bulla formation and rupture causing spontaneous pneumothorax. The dog received antibiotic and steroid therapy, as well as adulticide treatment, and recovered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA. oliveir1@illinois.edu
authors.forename: Cintia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rademacher
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vasanjee
authors.forename: Lorrie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gaschen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000096926:Benzenesulfonamides
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001152:Arsenicals; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014227:Triazines; C076253:melarsomine; C471996:deracoxib; D000096926:Benzenesulfonamides