Pantnagar Journal of Research

Abstract

This report describes a case of six-month-old male Labrador retriever presented for post-mortem examination at the Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pantnagar with a general appearance of overweight and oozing of blood-tinged fluid from nostrils. The owner reported that the dog was playing with his fellow dogs in the previous evening and died suddenly half an hour after the play after showing increased lethargy and occasional fainting episodes. Post-mortem examination revealed pale and irregular heart with dilated right ventricle. Tracheal mucosa was clear but there was sero-sanguinous frothy exudate in the tracheal lumen. All lobes of lungs were congested and dark red to purple colored. Sero-sanguinous frothy fluid was oozing from the cut surface of the lungs. Liver was enlarged and with dark reddish discoloration. Areas of necrosis were present on the surface of liver. Histopathological examination of liver revealed severe sinusoidal congestion throughout the parenchyma, a typical manifestation of the gross lesion, “Nutmeg liver”. There was centrilobular necrosis of hepatocytes with replacement by fibrous connective tissue typically known as Cardiac Cirrhosis. Cardiac muscle fibres showed thinning and fragmentation. Lungs showed severe congestion of inter-alveolar wall capillaries, atelactasis, giant alveoli formation, interstitial fibrosis, and bronchiolar epithelial loss. This case highlights the progressive nature of congestive heart failure in dogs, emphasizing the need for early detection, comprehensive diagnostic evaluation, and long-term medical management.