Cardiovascular involvement in 8 dogs with blastomyces dermatitidis infection

Blastomycosis is a common systemic fungal infection in dogs.

Dogs with cardiovascular involvement may have abnormalities in electrical conduction and valvular function, and may have a worse prognosis.

Eight client-owned animals.

Dogs with cardiovascular lesions caused by blastomycosis were identified from retrospective evaluation of medical records.

Five dogs had de novo infections and 3 had recurrences of previously treated infections. Harsh labored breathing, lethargy, and anorexia were the most common historic complaints. Three dogs had syncope. Physical examination and clinicopathologic data were typical of blastomycosis and included dyspnea, increased lung sounds, and lethargy. In addition, 3 dogs had heart murmurs and 1 had a third-degree atrioventricular block. Four dogs had myocarditis and 2 had pericarditis or epicarditis. Two dogs had cardiac signs attributed to extracardiac compression by fungal granulomas and clinical signs were relieved by treatment. Half of the remaining 6 dogs were euthanized; 2 of these were not treated. Of the remaining 3 dogs, 1 dog died acutely while sleeping; the second died intraoperatively during an attempt to place an epicardial pacemaker; and the third had Blastomyces-induced endocarditis and died of heart failure.

Blastomycosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of dogs from endemic areas with inflammatory myocarditis, heart block, heart base or intracardiac mass lesions, syncope, or endocarditis.