[Natural infection with Angiostrongylus vasorum: characterisation of 3 dogs with pulmonary hypertension].

Pulmonary hypertension (PH), together with its accompanying clinical signs and underlying causes, e.g. pulmonary thrombosis, are more and more recognized as an important clinical entity also in dogs. This article characterizes the clinical picture of 3 dogs with PH caused by natural infection with Angiostrongylus vasorum. All 3 dogs were of small breeds ( < 10 kg), the age at the time of diagnosis was 1, 2 and 11 years. Clinically, dyspnea and exercise intolerance were the predominating signs, 2 dogs developed hemoptysis, 1 dog developed right sided congestive heart failure. Severe arterial hypoxemia (PaO2 41 - 53 mmHg) reflected the severity of pulmonary parenchymal and vascular damage. Severe hyperglobulinemia (59 und 88 g/l) in two dogs implicated a long lasting infection. Anthelmintic treatment in 2 dogs resulted in quick clinical, radiographic and echocardiographic normalization. PH is the consequence of multiple causes and pathomechanisms, and the recognition of PH is primarily of differential diagnostic relevance. Prognosis and therapy in cases with PH mainly depend on the underlying cause, rather than on the PH and on its degree.