Pericardial effusion in a dog with zinc toxicity

Zinc toxicity in dogs has been associated with gastrointestinal irritation and ulceration, haemolytic anaemia, acute liver injury, acute kidney injury and haemostatic abnormalities. In this case, a 2‐year‐old female spayed Golden Retriever presented to a private specialist hospital for anaemia with a 24–36 h history of lethargy, hyporexia, ptyalism and pigmenturia. Initial diagnostics identified a regenerative anaemia with hyperbilirubinaemia and prolonged activated partial thromboplastin clotting time. The patient was treated with a packed red blood cell transfusion and point of care ultrasound pre‐transfusion identified a small‐volume pericardial effusion. Abdominal radiographs identified a gastric metal opacity foreign object, which was removed via gastroscopy. After receiving 26 h of supportive care in hospital, the patient experienced a marked improvement and was discharged. On re‐examination 11 days later, the pericardial effusion had resolved. Pericardial effusion has not been previously described in a dog with zinc toxicity.