Abstract:
The present study was undertaken to assess the prevalence and pathology
of various cardiac and pulmonary disorders in dogs. The data collected from the
autopsy records maintained at the Centre of Excellence in Pathology, Mannuthy
and seventy eight samples of heart and lungs from necropsy cases formed the
basis of the study. Ninety nine per cent cases showed varying types of cardiac
and pulmonary lesions. The highest incidence in the heart was dilated (75.32 per
cent) and hypertrophic (15.58 per cent) cardiomyopathies. The other lesions
found were hydropericardium, cardiac tamponade, haemorrhage, myocarditis,
endocarditis, endocardial fibroelastosis, valvular blood cyst coronary
arteriosclerosis and mural. thrombus. Myocardial infarction was found to be
confined to the left ventricles and interventricular septum in all the encountered
cases (5.19 per cent). Pulmonary congestion (70.51 per cent), haemorrhage
(32.47 per cent) and edema (31.17 per cent) were observed with higher incidence
rate. The other lesions found in the lungs were bronchitis, emphysema,
pneumonia, collapse, infarction, mineralization, ossification, anthracosis and
endarteritis obliterans. Metastatic osteosarcoma in the lungs, metastatic
lymphosarcoma in the heart and lungs were also observed. The incidence of
cardio-pulmonary disorders encountered was relatively high. The need and scope
for investigation into the pathological disorders of the heart and lungs of canines
were highlighted.
