The most common causes of pericardial effusion include bleeding from a heart base, a right atrial tumor, or idiopathic (from unknown causes) inflammation. Other less common causes include bleeding disorders, bacterial or viral infections, heart failure, low blood protein levels or other ill-defined causes.
How long can a dog live with fluid around his heart?
Survival is expected to be from a few weeks to less than 4-6 months but quality of life between episodes is usually good. Chemotherapy may provide a small survival benefit.
Can fluid around a dogs heart be fixed?
If your dog is critically ill due to cardiac tamponade, your veterinarian may attempt to remove the fluid surrounding the heart. This procedure is called pericardiocentesis. Pericardiocentesis may be performed with or without ultrasound guidance.
Is fluid around the heart a serious condition?
Pericardial effusion is a buildup of fluid in the space around the heart. It can happen for a wide range of reasons, including infections, injuries or other medical conditions. If the buildup is severe or happens quickly, it can compress your heart and cause cardiac tamponade, a life-threatening medical emergency.
Can dogs recover from pericardial effusion?
In the short term, affected dogs may respond to aggressive therapy for heart failure. Idiopathic pericardial effusion has a good to excellent prognosis. It may spontaneously resolve after one or more therapeutic pericardiocenteses or require surgical pericardiectomy.
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