A 3-year-old male, castrated, miniature pinscher weighing 9 kg was presented to the University of Zurich Veterinary Teaching Hospital Cardiology Service for evaluation of lethargy, a newly recognized cardiac murmur, and labored breathing. For the previous 3 days, the dog had been progressively reluctant to move and breathing had become labored. Before the current presentation, the dog had always been in excellent health.On admission, the dog was in sternal recumbency, profoundly lethargic, and showed expiratory dyspnea. Diffuse petechiation was visible on the skin and mucous membranes. Heart and pulse rate were 160 beats per minute and irregular, pulse quality was weak, and rectal temperature was 37.1uC (98.8uF). On auscultation, no respiratory or cardiac sounds were heard on the left side and muffled sounds were heard on the right side with a continuous heart murmur, grade 3/6. The jugular veins were distended and abdominal palpation disclosed hepatomegaly and ascites.Laboratory abnormalities on presentation included severe thrombocytopenia (11,000/mL; reference range, 130,000-394,000/mL), hypoproteinemia (43 g/L, reference range: 56-71 g/L), hypoalbuminemia (22 g/L, reference range: 29-37 g/L), hyponatremia (136 mmol/ L; reference range, 152-159 mmol/L), and hyperkalemia (5.4 mmol/L; reference range, 4.3-5.3 mmol/L). A coagulation profile was normal.An ECG indicated sinus tachycardia with single ventricular premature complexes and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia with a left bundle branch block pattern. The QRS complexes during sinus tachycardia were consistent with right ventricular enlargement and the ST segments were depressed in leads I, II, and aVF and increased in lead aVR.Thoracic radiographs revealed marked pleural effusion, moderate right heart enlargement, diminished pulmonary vasculature, engorged caudal vena cava, hepatomegaly, and ascites. Analysis of abdominal and pleural fluids indicated that they were modified transudates.On 2-dimensional and M-mode transthoracic echocardiography, a the right ventricle (RVDd, 2.45 cm) and right atrium (RA, 4 cm) appeared markedly dilated with flattening of the interventricular septum. The left ventricle was hypovolemic (LVDd, 1.4 cm). In the main pulmonary artery, a membranous structure that originated laterally slightly above the pulmonary valve annulus was bulging into the lumen (Fig 1a). An echodense structure suggestive of a thrombus at the site of the pulmonary artery bifurcation completely occluded the left pulmonary artery. Color Doppler echocardiography indicated moderate tricuspid insufficiency (TI), mild pulmonic insufficiency (PI), and continuous turbulent flow from the descending aorta to the main pulmonary artery through a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Furthermore, the systolic outflow signal above the pulmonary valve was only a narrow turbulent jet that passed medially to the described membrane. Behind the membrane, there was no systolic flow but only diastolic blood flow in the main pulmonary artery towards the pulmonary valve (Fig 1b). Sp...