Vascular lesions of Dirofilaria immitis in the red fox

Dirofilaria immitis was found in the right ventricle, pulmonary artery, and lungs of 2 red foxes (Vulpes fulva) in Connecticut. The most significant lesions occurred in the pulmonary artery and consisted of focal atheromatous-like intimal plaques, diffuse subintimal accumulations of inflammatory cells, and marked villose endarteritis in the elastic portion of the pulmonary artery. Medial hyperplasia of the muscular branches, along with periarteritis, was found in 1 fox. These 2 cases may be a further indication of the increased incidence of this disease in Carnivora in the State of Connecticut.