A French bulldog with rectal bleeding, anaemia and left hindlimb oedema due to arteriovenous malformations

Abstract

AbstractA 2‐year‐10‐month‐old, male, neutered French bulldog presented with a rectal prolapse, rectal bleeding, weight loss and anaemia with left hindlimb oedema. Biopsies of the recto‐anal junction identified moderate neutrophilic and lymphoplasmacytic erosive proctitis, with moderate vascular hyperaemia and moderately ectatic vessels in the rectal submucosa. Abdominal computed tomography identified intra‐abdominal arteriovenous malformations involving the mesenteric arteries, colic arteries, the vertebral venous plexus and femoral veins causing concurrent left hindlimb oedema. The malformations were too extensive to allow for surgical resection of the affected area of intestine. The patient's clinical signs initially responded to immunosuppressive therapy with corticosteroids. However, the patient's clinical signs progressed, and the dog was euthanased 4 months after initial presentation. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of such extensive arteriovenous anomalies also involving rectal prolapse and suspected colonic ectasia in a dog.