Vixen

Vixen, a 10-year-old female neutered German Shepherd presented collapsed, with fluid surrounding her heart (a pericardial effusion). Echocardiography revealed a tumour arising from the heart base which was confirmed on CT imaging. Following stabilisation, Vixen underwent a pericardiectomy which is an operation to remove the sack that the heart sits in (pericardium) and made an excellent recovery, living happily for a further 20 months. This case demonstrates that dogs can live for many months or even years, despite the presence of a cardiac tumour.