Idiopathic Chylothorax in an Afghan Hounddog - A Case Report

A 6 year old female Afghan Hound dog was presented to the Small Animal Critical Care Unit, Madras Veterinary College, TANUVAS, Chennai with a history of dyspnea, coughing, weight loss and anorexia for 5 days with abducted gait. On physical examination, thoracic auscultation revealed muffled heart sounds and lung sounds. Low amplitude QRS Complex was observed on electrocardiographic examination. Thoracic radiography revealed pleural effusion. An echoic fluid accumulation around the heart, floating lung lobe and fibrin string was observed during the ultrasonography examination. Heamatological and biochemical parameters were within the normal value. Thoracocentesis was performed and removed around 450ml of milky white fluid intermittently. Based on pleural fluid analysis the case was diagnosed as idiopathic chylothorax. The dog was treated with intravenous fluid, antibiotics, tablet rutin, diuretics and steroids. After 1 week of treatment animal recovered gradually.