**5. Diagnosis**

Physical examination, clinical manifestations, radiography, electrocardiography, echocardiography and estimation of pericardial fluid help in diagnosing the condition. Haematology and serology are not of much significance, and changes in these may reflect the underlying disease process. On physical examination the presence of muffled heart sounds, jugular venous distention, and poor pulse quality or pulsus paradoxus can be suspected for the presence of pericardial effusion. Pulsus paradoxus can best be detected in dogs that are breathing slowly while laterally recumbent. It may not be detected in all affected dogs that are standing or panting. Further, tachycardia, hepatomegaly, ascites, and tachypnoea or dyspnoea can also be noted [9].
