Septic Pericarditis, Aortic Endarteritis, and Osteomyelitis in a Dog

A 7-year-old, female spayed rottweiler was referred with a history of an acute onset of collapse attributable to cardiac tamponade. Thoracic radiographs revealed an enlarged cardiac silhouette compatible with pericardial effusion, sternal osteomyelitis, and an unusual mineralized lesion determined later to be within the aortic wall. The pericardial effusion was a septic exudate secondary to infection with Staphylococcus species and hemorrhage into the pericardium through a mineralized aortic lesion. The case demonstrates the importance of complete evaluation of thoracic radiographs in a patient with cardiac disease and the potential value of cytopathological evaluation of pericardial fluid.