PERICARDIAL-EFFUSION IN A DOG WITH RHABDOMYOSARCOMA IN THE RIGHT-VENTRICULAR WALL

A seven-year-old male labrador retriever presented in right heart fail ure with weak femoral pulses, and pleural, abdominal and mild pericard ial effusion. No diagnosis could be established initially. Two days la ter, the dog developed severe pericardial effusion causing cardiac tam ponade. A tumour in the right ventricular wall was visualised on ultra sonographic examination. An exploratory thoracotomy was performed and biopsies of the mass submitted for histopathological examination. A di agnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma arising from the myocardium was establishe d. Cardiac rhabdomyosarcoma has been reported in only two dogs. Neithe r report was associated with pericardial effusion.