Pneumopericardium Secondary to Pneumomediastinum in a Golden Retriever Dog

Pneumopericardium is a rare finding that has been previously reported following spontaneous, traumatic or iatrogenic causes. A 3 year old Golden Retriever dog was admitted with respiratory distress following falling from height. Clinical and electrocardiographic findings were non-specific. Thoracic radiography revealed hyper inflated lung with sharp outlining of the mediastinal structures. A well-demarcated region of radiolucent gas opacity was seen surrounding the cardiac silhouette. Echocardiography revealed intense hyper reflective shadows all over the heart.
Source: Topics in Companion Animal Medicine - Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Source Type: research