Budd-chiari-like syndrome associated with a pheochromocytoma invading the right atrium in a dog

Abstract

An 8 year-old spayed female Jack Russell Terrier dog was presented with severe abdominal distension due to ascites and discomfort of five days duration. Abdominal ultrasound revealed ascites and a mass invading the caudal vena cava pointing to Budd-Chiari-like syndrome (BCLS). The peritoneal fluid was a modified transudate. The BCLS was a result of a left adrenal mass that invaded the caudal vena cava to a length of 14 cm, up to the right atrium. A phaeochromocytoma was highly suspected and due to its aggressiveness and poor prognosis the dog was euthanized. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology after post mortem. This is a rare case of a 14 cm-long phaeochromocytoma associated with BCLS illustrating the in vivo diagnostic approach. A phaeochromocytoma should be considered in cases presenting with BCLS.