Diagnosis and hybrid interventional and surgical removal of ectopic heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis) in a dog

B G Barnett; H K Hammond; C L Chen; J A Grimes; L E Markovic

doi:10.1016/j.jvc.2024.10.005

Diagnosis and hybrid interventional and surgical removal of ectopic heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis) in a dog

J Vet Cardiol. 2024 Nov 6:57:20-26. doi: 10.1016/j.jvc.2024.10.005. Online ahead of print.

Authors

B G Barnett¹, H K Hammond², C L Chen¹, J A Grimes¹, L E Markovic¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
² Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. Electronic address: Hillary.Hammond@uga.edu.

PMID: 39591829
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvc.2024.10.005

Abstract

An adult male castrated French bulldog mix was presented for suspected caval syndrome and bilateral pelvic limb paresis. After emergency transjugular heartworm extraction, abdominal ultrasound revealed occlusive adult heartworms in the abdominal aorta extending into the pelvic limb arteries. Hybrid interventional and surgical extraction was pursued, and heartworms were removed via bilateral femoral arteriotomy and caudal abdominal aortotomy. Ectopic dirofilariasis involving the aorta and pelvic limb arteries is rarely reported; therefore, the underlying mechanism, incidence, and treatment of aberrant heartworms are poorly understood. This case report describes a unique hybrid approach involving heartworm extraction via femoral arteriotomy interventionally and aortotomy surgically.

Keywords: Aberrant migration; Canine; Surgery.

Publication types

Case Reports