Diagnostic utility of echocardiography and ultrasonography in buffaloes suffering from pericarditis

Abstract

Pericarditis remains a serious problem faced by bovine producers in the developing countries. This study was designed to evaluate the echocardiographic and ultrasonographic changes in dairy buffaloes affected with pericarditis presented to Large Animal Clinic, Teaching Veterinary Hospital of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana, India. 49 buffaloes were included and selected on the basis one or more of the clinical signs viz., brisket edema, dyspnoea, muffled heart sounds and distended jugular veins. Animals were subjected to clinical examination, thoracic and abdominal ultrasonography and M- mode echocardiography. The CVS examination revealed normal intensity of heart sounds in 17 and muffled in 32 cases with splashing/pericardial rub in 9 cases. Ultrasonography revealed spleenic congestion, liver was congested in majority of the cases with visible dilatation of the caudal vena cava. Heart was normal in 7 and visibly compressed in 42 cases due to the pericardial fluid. Massive pleural fluid was seen in 28 cases. Buffaloes in our study had pericardial effusions (n=49), pleural and pericardial effusions (n=45) and pleural, pericardial and peritoneal effusions (n=19). The predominant echocardiographic findings were significantly decreased dimensions of the heart chambers in both systole and diastole. The left ventricular contractility indices (FS% and EF%) were significantly high. The clinical findings alone do not allow a definitive diagnosis of pericarditis as characteristic signs were not present in all the cases. The combined use of ultrasonography and echocardiography provides a comprehensive idea about such cases and aids in early diagnosis of pericarditis.