References

Baddour LM, Wilson WR, Bayer AS Infective endocarditis: diagnosis, antimicrobial therapy, and management of complications: a statement for healthcare professionals from the Committee on Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis, and Kawasaki Disease, Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, and the Councils on Clinical Cardiology, Stroke, and Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia, American Heart Association: endorsed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Circulation. 2005; 111:(23)394-434

Bae H, Hwang T-S, Lee H-C Successful treatment of canine infective endocarditis caused by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Vet Q. 2022; 42:(1)41-47 https://doi.org/10.1080/01652176.2022.2033879

Bonagura JD, Twedt DC Current veterinary therapy XIV.St. Louis (MO): Saunders Elsevier; 2009

Breitschwerdt EB, Kordick DL, Malarkey DE Endocarditis in a dog due to infection with a novel Bartonella subspecies. J Clin Microbiol. 1995; 33:(1)154-160 https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.33.1.154-160.1995

Brennan C, Gunasekaran T, Williams K, Sanders RA Infective aortic valve endocarditis in a cat with patent ductus arteriosus and perimembranous ventricular septal defect. J Vet Cardiol. 2020; 31:30-35 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvc.2020.08.002

Calvert CA Valvular bacterial endocarditis in the dog. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1982; 180:(9)1080-1084

Costa A, Lahmers S, Barry SL, Stanton J, Stern JA Fungal pericarditis and endocarditis secondary to porcupine quill migration in a dog. J Vet Cardiol. 2014; 16:(4)283-290 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvc.2014.09.003

Dixon-Jimenez A, Margiocco ML Infectious endocarditis and chylothorax in a cat. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2011; 47:(6)e121-e126 https://doi.org/10.5326/JAAHA-MS-5568

Doyle CG, Allen JW, Ettinger SJ Foxtail-associated endocarditis in a cat. J Feline Med Surg. 2011; 13:(2)116-119 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfms.2010.08.009

Duncan A, Maggi R, Breitschwerdt E A combined approach for the enhanced detection and isolation of Bartonella species in dog blood samples: pre-enrichment liquid culture followed by PCR and subculture onto agar plates. J Microbiol Methods. 2007; 69:(2)273-281 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mimet.2007.01.010

Elwood CM, Cobb MA, Stepien RL Clinical and echocardiographic findings in 10 dogs with vegetative bacterial endocarditis. J Small Anim Pract. 1993; 34:(9)420-427 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-5827.1993.tb03892.x

Erbel R, Rohmann S, Drexler M Improved diagnostic value of echocardiography in patients with infective endocarditis by transoesophageal approach. A prospective study. Eur Heart J. 1988; 9:(1)43-53 https://doi.org/10.1093/ehj/9.1.43

Evangelista A, Gonzales-Alujas MT Echocardiography in infective endocarditis. Heart. 2004; 90:(6)614-617 https://doi.org/10.1136/hrt.2003.029868

Foster TJ, Geoghegan JA, Ganesh VK, Höök M Adhesion, invasion and evasion: the many functions of the surface proteins of Staphylococcus aureus. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2014; 12:(1)49-62 https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro3161

Glickman LT, Glickman NW, Moore GE, Goldstein GS, Lewis HB Evaluation of the risk of endocarditis and other cardiovascular events on the basis of the severity of periodontal disease in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2009; 234:(4)486-494 https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.234.4.486

Holland TL, Arnold C, Fowler VG Clinical management of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: a review. JAMA. 2014; 312:(13)1330-1341 https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2014.9743

Kern ZT, Swartley OM, Neupane P, Balakrishnan N, Breitschwerdt EB Pasteurella canis infective endocarditis in a dog. Vet Microbiol. 2019; 229:14-19 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.12.001

Kienle RD, Thomas WP, Pion PD The natural clinical history of canine congenital subaortic stenosis. J Vet Intern Med. 1994; 8:(6)423-431 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.1994.tb03262.x

Kilkenny E, Watson C, Dukes-McEwan J Evaluation of serum cardiac troponin-I concentrations for diagnosis of infective endocarditis in dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2021; 35:(5)2094-2101 https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16234

Kovacevic A, Allenspach K, Kuhn N, Lombard CW Endocarditis in a cat. J Vet Cardiol. 2002; 4:(1)31-34 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1760-2734(06)70021-2

Lombard CW, Buergelt CD Vegetative bacterial endocarditis in dogs; echocardiography diagnosis and clinical signs. J Small Anim Pract. 1983; 24:(6)325-339 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-5827.1983.tb00374.x

Macdonald K Infective endocarditis in dogs: diagnosis and therapy. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2010; 40:(4)665-684 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2010.03.010

MacDonald KA, Chomel BB, Kittleson MD A prospective study of canine infective endocarditis in northern California (1999–2001): emergence of Bartonella as a prevalent etiologic agent. J Vet Intern Med. 2004; 18:(1)56-64

Malik R, Barrs VR, Church DB Vegetative endocarditis in six cats. J Feline Med Surg. 1999; 1:(3)171-180 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1098-612X(99)90206-1

Manzi IA Embolic complications in streptococcus viridans endocarditis. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2004; 43:1133-1140

McCartney AC, Orange GV, Pringle SD, Wills G, Reece IJ Serum C reactive protein in infective endocarditis. J Clin Pathol. 1988; 41:(1)44-48 https://doi.org/10.1136/jcp.41.1.44

Miller MW, Fox PR, Saunders AB Pathologic and clinical features of infectious endocarditis. J Vet Cardiol. 2004; 6:(2)35-43 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1760-2734(06)70056-X

Mügge A, Daniel WG, Frank G, Lichtlen PR Echocardiography in infective endocarditis: reassessment of prognostic implications of vegetation size determined by the transthoracic and the transesophageal approach. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1989; 14:(3)631-638 https://doi.org/10.1016/0735-1097(89)90104-6

Nakamura RK, Zimmerman SA, Lange AJ, Lesser MB Isolation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus lugdunensis in a dog with endocarditis. J Vet Cardiol. 2012; 14:(4)531-536 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvc.2012.04.002

Noli C, Morris D Guidelines on the use of systemic aminoglycosides in veterinary dermatology. Vet Dermatol. 2011; 22:(4)379-380 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3164.2011.00991.x

Palerme JS, Jones AE, Ward JL Infective endocarditis in 13 cats. J Vet Cardiol. 2016; 18:(3)213-225 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvc.2016.04.003

Pasha AK, Lee JZ, Low SW Fungal endocarditis: update on diagnosis and management. Am J Med. 2016; 129:(10)1037-1043 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2016.05.012

Peddle GD, Drobatz KJ, Harvey CE, Adams A, Sleeper MM Association of periodontal disease, oral procedures, and other clinical findings with bacterial endocarditis in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2009; 234:(1)100-107 https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.234.1.100

Perez C, Hummel JB, Keene BW Successful treatment of Bartonella henselae endocarditis in a cat. J Feline Med Surg. 2010; 12:(6)483-486 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfms.2009.12.018

Reagan KL, Visser LC, Epstein E, Stern JA, Johnson LR Outcome and prognostic factors in infective endocarditis in dogs: 113 cases (2005-2020). Vet Intern Med. 2022; 36:(2)429-440 https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16380

Romito G, Diana A, Rigillo A, Morini M, Cipone M Unusual presentation of aortic valve infective endocarditis in a dog: aorto-cavitary fistula, tricuspid valve endocarditis, and third-degree atrioventricular block. Animals (Basel). 2021; 11:(3) https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030690

Sexton DJ, Bashore TM Infective endocarditis. In: Topol EJ Philadelphia (PA): Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2002

Shapiro SM, Young E, De Guzman S Transesophageal echocardiography in diagnosis of infective endocarditis. Chest. 1994; 105:(2)377-382 https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.105.2.377

Shively BK, Gurule FT, Roldan CA, Leggett JH, Schiller NB Diagnostic value of transesophageal compared with transthoracic echocardiography in infective endocarditis. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1991; 18:(2)391-397 https://doi.org/10.1016/0735-1097(91)90591-V

Sisson D, Thomas WP Endocarditis of the aortic valve in the dog. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1984; 184:(5)570-577

Swanwick RA, Williams OJ Fatal myocardial infarct in a Greyhound. J Small Anim Pract. 1982; 23:(8)451-455 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-5827.1982.tb03774.x

Sykes JE, Kittleson MD, Pesavento PA Evaluation of the relationship between causative organisms and clinical characteristics of infective endocarditis in dogs: 71 cases (1992-2005). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2006; 228:(11)1723-1734 https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.228.11.1723

Tou SP, Adin DB, Castleman WL Mitral valve endocarditis after dental prophylaxis in a dog. J Vet Intern Med. 2008; 19:(2)268-270 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2005.tb02693.x

van Loon AC, Locquet LJ, Bosseler L Infective vegetative endocarditis of the mitral, aortic, and pulmonary valves due to Enterococcus hirae in a cat with a ventricular septal defect. J Vet Cardiol. 2020; 30:69-76 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvc.2020.05.005

Varanat M, Broadhurst J, Linder KE, Maggi RG, Breitschwerdt EB Identification of Bartonella henselae in 2 cats with pyogranulomatous myocarditis and diaphragmatic myositis. Vet Pathol. 2012; 49:(4)608-611 https://doi.org/10.1177/0300985811404709

Vercelli A, Lo Cicero E, Pazzini L Salmonella typhimurium endocarditis and myocarditis in a cat. Case Rep Vet Med. 2019; 2019:1-6 https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7390530

Verhagen DW, Hermanides J, Korevaar JC Prognostic value of serial C-reactive protein measurements in left-sided native valve endocarditis. Arch Intern Med. 2008; 168:(3)302-307 https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2007.73

Woodruff M, Rosenblatt AJ, Punkle J, Heading K Concurrent spinal epidural empyema and endocarditis in a dog. Can Vet J. 2019; 60:(11)1171-1176

Zanotti S, Kaplan P, Garlick D Endocarditis associated with a urinary bladder foreign body in a dog. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 1989; 25:(5)557-561

Infective endocarditis in dogs and cats

02 October 2022
11 mins read
Volume 27 · Issue 10
Figure 2. Right parasternal long axis view from a cavalier King Charles spaniel with suspected infective endocarditis. There is an irregular, thickened, hyperechogenic polypoid structure attached to the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve (oscillating lesion).
Figure 2. Right parasternal long axis view from a cavalier King Charles spaniel with suspected infective endocarditis. There is an irregular, thickened, hyperechogenic polypoid structure attached to the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve (oscillating lesion).

Abstract

Infective endocarditis is an uncommon cardiac disease, caused by microbial invasion of the endocardium or heart valves. It presents many challenges with respect to diagnosis and effective treatment. This article reviews the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, methods of diagnosis and treatment of bacterial endocarditis in dogs and cats.

Infective endocarditis is a disease that is associated with high morbidity and mortality in both cats and dogs (Miller et al, 2004; Palerme et al, 2016; Reagan et al, 2022). Endocarditis is usually seen in middle-aged to older, large-breed dogs (Sykes et al, 2006). Infective endocarditis in cats is uncommon; two case series exist (Malik et al, 1999; Palerme et al, 2016) but otherwise, the literature is limited to single case reports (Perez et al, 2010; Dixon-Jimenez and Margiocco, 2011; Doyle et al, 2011; Varanat et al, 2012; Vercelli et al, 2019; Brennan et al, 2020; van Loon et al, 2020). The prevalence of canine infective endocarditis reported in referral centres is low (0.04–0.13%), possibly as a result of non-specific clinical signs and difficulty of diagnosis (MacDonald et al, 2004; Sykes et al, 2006). In small animals, the mitral and aortic valves are most commonly affected, and proliferative or erosive lesions often result in valvular insufficiency (MacDonald et al, 2004).

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting UK-VET Companion Animal and reading some of our peer-reviewed content for veterinary professionals. To continue reading this article, please register today.