Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with blood clot in heart's left auricle treated by ear removal
By Dvornicky-Raymond, Zachary et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2020·Department of Clinical Sciences (Dvornicky-Raymond, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Auriculectomy for spontaneous thrombosis of the left auricle in a domestic shorthair cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old male domestic shorthair cat was brought to the vet because he was having trouble breathing, was restless, and showed signs of distress. Tests showed he had high levels of certain proteins in his blood and fluid around his heart and lungs. An ultrasound revealed that his heart was enlarged and there was a blood clot in the left auricle (a part of the heart). The cat had surgery to remove this part of the heart and was sent home with a medication called clopidogrel to prevent further clots. After some initial complications, he recovered well.
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Abstract
A 3-year-old castrated male domestic shorthair cat was presented for evaluation of acute onset tachypnea, dyspnea, and restlessness. Blood analysis revealed markedly elevated creatinine kinase, troponin, and D-dimers, together with azotemia and an inflammatory leukogram. Ultrasonography identified cardiomegaly with pericardial and pleural effusion. Thoracocentesis identified a high protein transudate. Cardiac computed tomographic angiography (CTA) identified an enlarged left auricle containing a non-contrast enhancing mass measuring 1.6 × 1.2 × 1.2 cm subsequently confirmed to be a thrombus. The cat underwent a left cardiac auriculectomy and was discharged on clopidogrel. Post-operative complications, including late-onset hemothorax and dyspnea, were managed to resolution. Key clinical message: A cardiac auriculectomy was effective in management of thromboembolic disease in a domestic cat.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32741997/