Sudden death in a dog after doxorubicin chemotherapy

Abstract

A case is reported of fatal cardiomyopathy in an 8-year-old female German Shepherd after standard chemotherapy with doxorubicin for splenic hemangiosarcoma. The main gross lesion was a moderate bilateral cardiac ventricular dilation with diffusely pale myocardium. Histological analysis revealed severe multifocal vacuolar degeneration of cardiomyocytes, myocytolysis, myofibril loss, myocardial fibrosis, and edema. Myocardial fiber vacuolization and myocytolysis were highly suggestive of doxorubicin cardiotoxicity. © The American College of Veterinary Pathologists 2011.