Pulmonary thromboembolism in 29 dogs: 1985-1995

Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) occurs as a complication to a number of com monly encountered clinical diseases. Antemortem recognition of this life-th reatening disorder is hampered by nonspecificity of clinical signs. This re trospective study was performed to analyze clinical features, laboratory fi ndings, imaging abnormalities. and concurrent postmortem diagnoses in 29 do gs with confirmed pulmonary embolism. A variety of clinicopathologic and ra diographic abnormalities were noted but there were no pathognomonic finding s for PTE. Arterial blood gas analyses were performed in 15 (52%) of 29 dog s; 12 (80%) of 15 exhibited hypoxemia and 15 (100%) of 15 had increased alv eolar-arterial oxygen gradients. Response to supplemental O-2 was variable and did not correlate with the presence or absence of additional pulmonary pathology on postmortem. At postmortem, 25 (86%) of 29 dogs had grossly vis ible emboli, 17 (59%) of 29 dogs had multiple disease processes, and 16 (55 %) of 29 dogs had additional pulmonary pathology. PTE was suspected antemor tem in 11 (38%) of 29 dogs. In dogs with respiratory signs consistent with PTE, the condition was a differential diagnosis in 11 of 17 animals; all ha d diseases previously reported to be associated with PTE. Neoplasia, system ic bacterial disease, and immune-mediated hemolytic anemia were diagnosed m ost frequently.