Heartworm disease, severe lesions, left lateral radiograph, dog

Left lateral thoracic radiographic projection of a 10-year-old pit bull-type dog with severe lesions from heartworm disease. A cranial lobar artery is dilated (*), and the caudal lobar pulmonary arteries are dilated and tortuous (**). The reversed "D" shape of the heart is due to right heart enlargement. The bronchointerstitial pattern is most likely due to pneumonitis. Decreased detail in the cranial abdomen is supportive of ascites. A small volume of pleural effusion is also present. CVC, caudal vena cava; RV, right ventricle.