title: Mural endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium mustelae in a dog with a VSD.
abstract: A 6 yr old female spayed large Munsterlander was evaluated following a 3 wk history of lethargy, inappetence, intermittent fever, and a recent change to the timing of her previously diagnosed heart murmur. Physical examination revealed marked dehydration, lethargy, and a grade 5/6 to-and-fro heart murmur that was auscultated best at the right sternal border. The dog was febrile, and echocardiography revealed a large, mobile, vegetative lesion in the right ventricular outflow tract associated with a ventricular septal defect (VSD). Mild aortic insufficiency was present. Corynebacterium mustelae (C. mustelae) was isolated from a pooled blood culture. Treatment of infective endocarditis (IE) was initiated along with supportive care, and the patient was discharged 9 days later. The dog remained without clinical signs 132 days after discharge. VSD is rarely mentioned as a predisposing factor for development of IE in veterinary literature; however, this report highlights that dogs with a VSD may be at risk for IE. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first documented case of a canine infection with C. mustelae. Infection with C. mustelae in this case represents a novel agent for IE in the dog.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
authors.forename: Randolph L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.forename: Sonya G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Shuping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Crystal D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Hariu
authors.forename: Matthew W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D003352:Corynebacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003354:Corynebacterium Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006337:Heart Murmurs / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*