Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease is a degenerative condition of the mitral valves leaflets. A 10-year-old
male castrated Shih Tzu was presented with primary complaint of coughing. Clinical examination revealed normal
heart rate, respiratory rate and rectal temperature. Systolic murmur Grade IV/VI was heard at the left heart apex.
Thoracic radiographic findings were cardiomegaly with the vertebral heart score of 11.0 and had evidence of
cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Echocardiographic examination revealed thickening mitral valves with evidence of
moderate regurgitation observed. Based on the findings obtained, the dog was diagnosed with Myxomatous Mitral
Valve disease stage C2. Dog was treated with benazepril (0.5mg/kg), pimobendan (0.2mg/kg) with a combination of
furosemide (2mg/kg). Frusemide was gradually removed from the treatment regime as coughing improved over time.
The dog was no longer lethargy and even gained weight.
This report documents a case of 5-month old intact male German Shepherd dog diagnosed with pythiosis on its left forelimb. This is the first ever reported case of pythiosis presented at the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (UVH), Universiti Putra Malaysia and may be the first ever reported incidence in Malaysia with a complaint of a chronic non-healing wound. The case became complicated as the dog was concurrently infected with a mixed bacterial infection and the identified bacteria were resistant towards a number of antibiotics tested. The antibiotic that was determined to be sensitive was only able to act on certain bacteria and not to the others. The journey of getting to the final diagnosis was almost impossible if we had not tried different media preparation: with and without Dermasel supplement; and through molecular approach using amplification at ITS region followed by DNA sequence analysis. The unwarranted lack during the diagnosis process of this incidence has made us more aware of the presence of Pythium insidiosum in Malaysia and plan for a more strategize ways of diagnosing the suspected fungus at laboratory setting in future. The objective of this paper is to share our experience and reflection on the diagnosis of the rare incidence of pythiosis present in Malaysia.