Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with divided left atrium and blocked right lung veins causing
By Savarino, P et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2025·Department of Veterinary Science, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Divided left atrium (cor triatriatum sinister) with atresia of the right pulmonary veins in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A nine-month-old female Maine Coon cat was brought in for sudden breathing problems. An ultrasound of her heart showed a rare condition called cor triatriatum sinister, where a membrane divides the left atrium into two chambers, along with a blockage of the right pulmonary veins. Unfortunately, due to the poor outlook for recovery, the owner chose to have her euthanized. This case highlights a serious heart defect that can lead to severe respiratory issues in young cats.
People also search for: cat breathing problems · Maine Coon heart disease · cor triatriatum sinister in cats
Abstract
A nine-month-old, female Maine Coon cat was referred for acute respiratory distress. Echocardiography revealed the presence of a membrane dividing the left atrium into two chambers, suggestive of cor triatriatum sinister (CTS). Due to poor prognosis, the owner elected for humane euthanasia. At necropsy, a transverse fibromuscular membrane containing an orifice dividing the left atrium into two chambers was observed, confirming the diagnosis of CTS, or divided left atrium. Moreover, atresia of the outflow of right pulmonary veins into the left atrium was identified. This study reports the rare instance of CTS associated with anomalies of the pulmonary venous connection.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40472662/