AORTIC BODY CARCINOMA AND MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION IN A DOBERMANN-PINSCHER

Dilated cardiomyopathy is the usual cause of congestive heart failure in the dobermann pinscher and was the presumptive diagnosis in an eigh t-year-old female dobermann pinscher presented for dyspnoea and syncop e. This was supported by thoracic radiography and electrocardiographic evidence of ventricular tachycardia. An echocardiogram revealed a lef t atrial tumour as the principal cause of cardiac failure. Pathologica l examination confirmed that the tumour was a large aortic body carcin oma in an unusual location. Multifocal myocardial infarctions were als o found. This unusual case demonstrates the importance of a complete c ardiological examination as part of a diagnostic work up and confirms the necessity of echocardiography as one of the examination methods.