Pericardial Effusion

Abstract

Pericardial effusion is most commonly idiopathic in origin in dogs. Pericardial effusions are categorized by the clinicopathologic characteristics of the fluid that accumulates. Idiopathic pericardial effusion is the most common cause of acute or chronic nonneoplastic hemorrhagic pericardial effusion in the dog. The manifestations of pericardial effusion depend on the rate of effusion formation and rise in intrapericardial pressure. Animals present with signs of chronic pericardial effusion more often than they do with acute pericardial effusion. Animals with chronic pericardial effusion due to idiopathic causes or right atrial tumor may present with apparent acute manifestation because of the acute onset of bleeding. Clinical signs of the underlying disease such as disseminated neoplasia or infection might predominate at presentation. Pericardectomy is curative for idiopathic pericardial effusion and mostly palliative for neoplastic pericardial effusion by preventing recurrence of cardiac tamponade.