Diagnosis and Treatment of Foetal Anasarca in Two English bulldog Puppies

This case report provides the first description of foetal anasarca, from prenatal diagnosis to neonatal treatment, in two English Bulldog puppies. Anasarca affected 2 out of 3 puppies of the same litter. The dam was a 3 year-old primipara and was ultrasonographically monitored during pregnancy. The diagnosis of foetal anasarca was performed on d53. The most severely affected puppy was a female, which showed subcutaneous oedema and fluid in the thoracic and abdominal cavities. The other affected puppy was a male, which showed subcutaneous oedema but no fluid in thoracic and abdominal cavities. At birth, the female puppy did not respond to resuscitation, whereas the male puppy was successfully treated with furosemide after resuscitation and completely recovered within 36 hours. The third puppy was a healthy female. Two weeks after birth, the male puppy was healthy, although it was lighter compared to its sister puppy. In conclusion, ultrasound examination during routine pregnancy monitoring permits an early diagnosis of foetal anasarca, at least in the most severe cases. Prenatal diagnosis can be useful for the planned c-section, in order to apply an adequate treatment as soon as possible at delivery.