A case of infectious pericardial effusion and tamponade in a guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) associated with a multiresistant staphylococcus

Abstract

A three-year-old female guinea pig was presented for an acute onset of lethargy and dyspnoea and was subsequently diagnosed with pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. Bacterial culture of the fluid obtained from ultrasound-guided pericardiocentesis revealed a coagulase-negative multiresistant staphylococcus. Pericardiocentesis and antibiotic therapy resulted in complete resolution of the pericardial effusion. As the staphylococcus was resistant to many antibiotics and the owner was diagnosed a few weeks prior with cutaneous multiresistant staphylococcal infection, it was speculated that the source of the septic pericardial effusion may have been the owner.

Epidemiological, clinical, radiographic, echocardiographic findings and outcome in client-owned guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) with cardiac disease: 80 cases (2010–2021)

“…The next most common cardiac disease was cor pulmonale (21/80 [26.3%]). The final or presumptive diagnosis of an underlying disease with the potential for pulmonary hypertension was available in 14 of 21 animals and included pneumonia (n = 6), pleuropneumonia (4), chronic bronchitis (1), thoracic lymphoma (1), pleural carcinomatosis (1), and lung mass of undetermined origin (1). The remaining 7 animals were presented for respiratory signs but no final or presumptive diagnosis of respiratory disease could be retrieved from the medical records.…”

“…An acquired valvular disease was diagnosed in 3 of 80 (3.8%) animals, including severe aortic insufficiency (n = 1), degenerative mitral valve disease (1), and endocarditis (1).…”

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I nformation on cardiac diseases in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) is limited to few clinical cases and small case series in the literature. [1][2][3][4][5] An overall percentage of 1.2% of guinea pig patients with heart diseases has been reported in 1,000 pet guinea pigs, with an increase in percentage with age (0.9% in guinea pigs younger than 2 years, 1% between 2 and 5 years, and 4.8% over 5 years). 6Epidemiological, clinical, radiographic, echocardiographic findings and outcome in client-owned guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) with cardiac disease: 80 cases (2010-2021

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