This is a new one for me. I couldn’t find anything similar in the ACVR Journal archives. This dog has diabetes and cushings disease. Ultrasounded yesterday for possible mass in abdomen vs enlarged spleen on palpation by RDVM. No rads. I’d love to see rads of this dog abdomen and thorax. I’m thinking about those kitties who calcify their arteries. On ultrasound, the abnormalities are: 1. shadowing mineral densities IN the aorta. They were visible from just caudal to the porta hepatis to the iliac bifurcation. I think they are adhered to the wall as I didn’t see any move. 2.
This is a new one for me. I couldn’t find anything similar in the ACVR Journal archives. This dog has diabetes and cushings disease. Ultrasounded yesterday for possible mass in abdomen vs enlarged spleen on palpation by RDVM. No rads. I’d love to see rads of this dog abdomen and thorax. I’m thinking about those kitties who calcify their arteries. On ultrasound, the abnormalities are: 1. shadowing mineral densities IN the aorta. They were visible from just caudal to the porta hepatis to the iliac bifurcation. I think they are adhered to the wall as I didn’t see any move. 2. Hyperechoic lines/dots throughout the otherwise normal spleen. 3. Hyperechoic lines/dots in the renal cortex (rt and lt). 4 Rt renal moderate hydronephrosis; ureter normal. 5. Tiny (0.23 cm) nephroliths left renal pelvis, and few tiny (0.2cm) uroliths. Of course, my reason for posting is the mineral densities in the aorta. Blood work done yesterday, to quote the RDVM who left me a message today was: “the calcium is normal but everything else is off”. I’ve left her a message to find out what the “everything thing else is off” is refering too :). Hydrovitaminosis D? Calcinosis arteriosis (I’m not sure if that’s real, I just made it up)….after all, the dog is cushingoid. Anyone seen this?
Thanks, Karen
Comments
Karen,I have seen this on
Karen,I have seen this on occasion but definitely not a frequent thing. I have not seen it written up either. Remo?? Peter?
Given the predisposition to thrombosis with diabetes i would be suspect that these may have been thrombi or endothelial lesions that developed into dystrophic mineralization. I have only seen them in diabetics, cushings cases and neoplasia cases but again not frequently…i.e. hypercoagulative state virchow triad and such. Maybe the community has more input
Karen,I have seen this on
Karen,I have seen this on occasion but definitely not a frequent thing. I have not seen it written up either. Remo?? Peter?
Given the predisposition to thrombosis with diabetes i would be suspect that these may have been thrombi or endothelial lesions that developed into dystrophic mineralization. I have only seen them in diabetics, cushings cases and neoplasia cases but again not frequently…i.e. hypercoagulative state virchow triad and such. Maybe the community has more input
The closest that I have seen
The closest that I have seen is aortic calcification secondary to Spirocera lupi larval migration but in the thoracic aorta. Not sure if you have spirocecosis in your part of the would. Seems rare in the dog but more common in people. Possible that this dog has arteriosclerosis, which has only really been described in hypothyroid dogs.
Here are two abstracts:
Schwarz T, Sullivan M, Störk CK, Willis R, Harley R, Mellor DJ. Aortic and cardiac mineralization in the dog. Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2002; 43:419-27.
Aortic and cardiac mineralization was found in 21 of 3443 (0.61%) canine thoracic radiographs. In none of 786 feline thoracic radiographs reviewed were such lesions present. Mineralizations were superimposed on the ascending aorta (19 dogs) or on the caudal cardiac silhouette (2 dogs). In 2 of 4 dogs mineralization was identified echocardiographically dorsal to the aortic valve in close proximity to coronary arteries. Computed tomography confirmed mineralization of the aortic arch and root in 2 of 2 dogs. Necropsy and histopathologic examination in 1 dog revealed multiple nodular aortic tunica media calcifications with adjacent areas of degeneration. Lesions were significantly overrepresented in older dogs and in Rottweilers, and regarded as dystrophic calcification, caused either by age-related degenerative changes or chronic disease-related processes. There was no evidence of clinical significance attributed to the mineralization in any dog. Aortic and cardiac mineralization should be recognized as an incidental, non-significant finding in dogs of advanced age and differentiated from pleural and pulmonary structures.
Bastos Gonçalves F, Voûte MT, Hoeks SE, Chonchol MB, Boersma EE, Stolker RJ, Verhagen HJ. Calcification of the abdominal aorta as an independent predictor of cardiovascular events: a meta-analysis. Heart. 2012; 98:988-994.
Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) is a common finding in patients with atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the incremental value of AAC in predicting long term cardiovascular (CV) outcome by conducting a meta-analysis of observational studies. Longitudinal studies with at least 2 years of follow-up, reporting the influence of AAC on CV outcome of general population patients. Four separate end points-coronary events, cerebrovascular events, all CV events and CV related death-were tested for their relationship with AAC at baseline, using weighted random effects meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was calculated using Q and I(2) statistic tests. Publication bias was assessed by funnel plot symmetry and trim and fill methods. The importance of calcium quantification was also explored (sensitivity analysis). 10 studies were included. An increased relative risk (RR) was found for all end points: for coronary events (five studies, n=11250) 1.81 (95% CI 1.54 to 2.14); for cerebrovascular events (four studies, n=9736) 1.37 (1.22 to 3.54); for all CV events (four studies, n=4960) 1.64 (1.24 to 2.17); and for CV death (three studies, n=4986) 1.72 (1.03 to 2.86). Analysis of studies presenting results in categories (no/minimal, moderate and severe calcification) revealed a stepwise increase in the RR for all end points. Significant heterogeneity was found in the included studies. Sources of heterogeneity were identified in the publication date, duration of follow-up, and mean age and gender differences in the included patient cohorts. Existing data suggest that AAC is a strong predictor of CV related events or death in the general population. The predictive impact is greater in more calcified aortas. The generalisability of the meta-analysis is limited by heterogeneity in the coronary events, all CV events and CV death end points.
The closest that I have seen
The closest that I have seen is aortic calcification secondary to Spirocera lupi larval migration but in the thoracic aorta. Not sure if you have spirocecosis in your part of the would. Seems rare in the dog but more common in people. Possible that this dog has arteriosclerosis, which has only really been described in hypothyroid dogs.
Here are two abstracts:
Schwarz T, Sullivan M, Störk CK, Willis R, Harley R, Mellor DJ. Aortic and cardiac mineralization in the dog. Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2002; 43:419-27.
Aortic and cardiac mineralization was found in 21 of 3443 (0.61%) canine thoracic radiographs. In none of 786 feline thoracic radiographs reviewed were such lesions present. Mineralizations were superimposed on the ascending aorta (19 dogs) or on the caudal cardiac silhouette (2 dogs). In 2 of 4 dogs mineralization was identified echocardiographically dorsal to the aortic valve in close proximity to coronary arteries. Computed tomography confirmed mineralization of the aortic arch and root in 2 of 2 dogs. Necropsy and histopathologic examination in 1 dog revealed multiple nodular aortic tunica media calcifications with adjacent areas of degeneration. Lesions were significantly overrepresented in older dogs and in Rottweilers, and regarded as dystrophic calcification, caused either by age-related degenerative changes or chronic disease-related processes. There was no evidence of clinical significance attributed to the mineralization in any dog. Aortic and cardiac mineralization should be recognized as an incidental, non-significant finding in dogs of advanced age and differentiated from pleural and pulmonary structures.
Bastos Gonçalves F, Voûte MT, Hoeks SE, Chonchol MB, Boersma EE, Stolker RJ, Verhagen HJ. Calcification of the abdominal aorta as an independent predictor of cardiovascular events: a meta-analysis. Heart. 2012; 98:988-994.
Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) is a common finding in patients with atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the incremental value of AAC in predicting long term cardiovascular (CV) outcome by conducting a meta-analysis of observational studies. Longitudinal studies with at least 2 years of follow-up, reporting the influence of AAC on CV outcome of general population patients. Four separate end points-coronary events, cerebrovascular events, all CV events and CV related death-were tested for their relationship with AAC at baseline, using weighted random effects meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was calculated using Q and I(2) statistic tests. Publication bias was assessed by funnel plot symmetry and trim and fill methods. The importance of calcium quantification was also explored (sensitivity analysis). 10 studies were included. An increased relative risk (RR) was found for all end points: for coronary events (five studies, n=11250) 1.81 (95% CI 1.54 to 2.14); for cerebrovascular events (four studies, n=9736) 1.37 (1.22 to 3.54); for all CV events (four studies, n=4960) 1.64 (1.24 to 2.17); and for CV death (three studies, n=4986) 1.72 (1.03 to 2.86). Analysis of studies presenting results in categories (no/minimal, moderate and severe calcification) revealed a stepwise increase in the RR for all end points. Significant heterogeneity was found in the included studies. Sources of heterogeneity were identified in the publication date, duration of follow-up, and mean age and gender differences in the included patient cohorts. Existing data suggest that AAC is a strong predictor of CV related events or death in the general population. The predictive impact is greater in more calcified aortas. The generalisability of the meta-analysis is limited by heterogeneity in the coronary events, all CV events and CV death end points.
As Schartz describes, I have
As Schartz describes, I have also seen this seldom in older dogs, and consider it a finding, as the animals were otherwise normal, I´ve consider it distrophic mineralization.
Although in this case, I believe Eric hypotesis is very valid.
As Schartz describes, I have
As Schartz describes, I have also seen this seldom in older dogs, and consider it a finding, as the animals were otherwise normal, I´ve consider it distrophic mineralization.
Although in this case, I believe Eric hypotesis is very valid.