Clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of caudal mediastinal paraesophageal abscesses in dogs: a multi-institutional retrospective study

Objective: To describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, management, and short- and long-term outcomes of dogs with caudal mediastinal paraesophageal abscesses (CMPA) in a multi-institutional retrospective cohort. Animals: 12 client-owned dogs with CMPA confirmed on CT and/or surgery. Clinical Presentation: The most common presenting complaints were inappetence and lethargy. Tachypnea and dyspnea were frequent physical examination findings at presentation. Results: All 12 dogs underwent CT. The CMPA was located within the mediastinal serous cavity in 7 of 12 dogs. Communication between the CMPA and the lumen of the esophagus was noted in 3 dogs, all of which had associated esophageal foreign bodies. Ten dogs underwent surgical treatment, which involved drainage (n = 8) and debridement (7) of the abscess, combined with antimicrobial therapy. All dogs who survived surgery were discharged from the hospital. No recurrence was identified in dogs with available long-term follow-up. Clinical Relevance: In dogs, CMPA is associated with nonspecific clinical signs, and CT is the imaging modality of choice for diagnosis. Treatment, including surgical drainage, debridement, and appropriate antimicrobial therapy, is associated with a favorable prognosis.