Septic pericarditis and cardiac tamponade caused by migrating intrathoracic grass awn in an English setter dog

The present case report describes a 2-year-old male English Setter dog with pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade due to septic pericarditis. On transthoracic echocardiography, the pericardium was thickened and pericardial effusion was characterized by hypoechoic material. Moreover, adhesions between the pericardial and epicardial surface were present in the apical region. In close proximity of these adhesions, a linear, spindle-shaped, hyperechoic structure, consistent with grass awn, was visualized. A caudal sternotomic approach allowed to confirm the presence of a grass awn by intraoperative ultrasonography. Pericardiectomy was performed. The recovery was uneventful, and the dog was hospitalized post-operatively for 7 days. Twelve months after the surgery the dog was working to full capacity without evidence of any clinical signs. A migrating grass awn is sometimes a diagnostic challenge for clinicians: this case report describes an uncommon clinical presentation of a migrating grass awn and highlights that ultrasonography can be a useful diagnostic tool for the localization of grass awns in dogs with septic pericarditis.