Left Ventricular Apical Aneurysm in a Dog-A Case Report
Ozana Maria Hritcu1, Radu Andrei Baisan1, Aurelian Sorin Pasca1
1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Iasi University of Life Sciences Ion Ionescu de la Brad, 700489 Iasi, Romania.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|December 17, 2024
Summary
A rare left ventricular apical aneurysm was identified in a dog, characterized by a fibrous sac and mineralization. This canine cardiac finding highlights a previously underreported cardiovascular condition in veterinary medicine.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Cardiovascular Research
- Canine Medicine
Background:
- Left ventricular apical aneurysms are exceedingly rare cardiac malformations.
- This case presents a unique opportunity to study the pathology and immunohistochemical markers associated with this condition in a canine patient.
Observation:
- A 16-year-old mixed-breed dog euthanized due to cardio-respiratory failure presented with a necropsy finding of a left ventricular apical aneurysm.
- The aneurysm sac measured approximately 0.7 cm/0.3 cm and involved all cardiac wall layers, exhibiting mineralization and neovascularization.
Findings:
- Immunohistochemistry revealed specific protein expressions: desmin and CD-31 in cardiac muscle fibers, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-sma) in vascular smooth muscle cells, and vimentin in the cardiac stroma.
- Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) were strongly expressed in cardiomyocytes, while tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) showed limited expression.
Implications:
- This case report contributes to the limited veterinary literature on canine left ventricular apical aneurysms.
- Understanding the immunohistochemical profile may offer insights into the pathogenesis and potential diagnostic markers for this rare cardiac anomaly.
