Mural endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium mustelae in a dog with a VSD. Academic Article uri icon

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.

published proceedings

  • J Am Anim Hosp Assoc

author list (cited authors)

  • Winter, R. L., Gordon, S. G., Zhang, S., Hariu, C. D., & Miller, M. W.

citation count

  • 7

complete list of authors

  • Winter, Randolph L||Gordon, Sonya G||Zhang, Shuping||Hariu, Crystal D||Miller, Matthew W

publication date

  • September 2014