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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Cat with muscle weakness diagnosed with thymoma-linked myasthenia

By Scott-Moncrieff, J C et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1990·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed

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Original publication title: Acquired myasthenia gravis in a cat with thymoma.

Species:
cat

Plain-English summary

A 4-year-old male Abyssinian cat was brought in because he was extremely weak and had trouble moving. Tests showed a mass in his chest, which turned out to be a thymoma (a type of tumor). After surgery to remove the mass, the cat was diagnosed with acquired myasthenia gravis, a condition that affects muscle strength. He started treatment with pyridostigmine and corticosteroids, which helped improve his symptoms significantly.

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Abstract

A 4-year-old castrated Abyssinian cat was evaluated for profound neuromuscular weakness. Results of electromyography and repetitive nerve stimulation tests were normal. Thoracic radiography revealed a cranial mediastinal mass, which was excised and identified as a thymoma. Serum acetylcholine receptor antibodies were detected at high concentration, supporting a diagnosis of acquired myasthenia gravis. Clinical signs of disease responded to treatment with pyridostigmine and corticosteroids.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2332378/