[Myocardial damage and paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia in a dog after Albuterol intoxication].

Intoxication with the beta2-agonist Albuterol may lead to immediate signs of beta-adrenergic stimulation like excitation, tachypnea and tachycardia. Furthermore, it typically causes severe hypokalemia, which then leads to muscle weakness and which predisposes to ventricular arrhythmias. We describe a dog where albuterol intoxication caused runs of fast paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia that persisted after normalization of the hypokalemia. Based on a markedly elevated serum troponin I level acute myocardial damage was identified as cause of the tachyarrhythmia. Repeated Troponin I measurements and Holter-ECGs were the means to document complete cure.