Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with high blood fats, skin lumps, and artery disease
By Wisselink, M A et al.·Published in The veterinary quarterly·1994·Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Netherlands·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hyperlipoproteinaemia associated with atherosclerosis and cutaneous xanthomatosis in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 3.5-year-old female Persian cat developed skin lumps (xanthomas) and suffered from eye inflammation (uveitis) after being treated with corticosteroids for two years. Despite various tests showing high levels of certain fats in her blood, her condition worsened, leading to sudden blindness. Unfortunately, the owner chose to euthanize her, and an autopsy revealed severe artery damage due to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). The long-term corticosteroid use may have contributed to her serious health issues.
People also search for: cat skin lumps treatment · cat eye inflammation causes · Persian cat atherosclerosis symptoms
Abstract
Bilateral uveitis and multiple xanthomas (fat deposits in the skin) are described in a 3.5-year-old ovariohysterectomized female Persian cat. The cat had been treated for 2 years with corticosteroids. Examinations included a routine blood chemistry profile, radiographic examination of the thorax and abdomen, histopathological examination of multiple skin punch biopsies, and analysis of blood lipid components by cellulose-acetate electrophoresis and by preparative ultracentrifugation studies. Total lipid values were 23 g/l. Ultracentrifugation studies indicated strongly elevated VLDL and LDL fractions and a decreased concentration of the HDL fraction. Because of sudden blindness the cat was euthanized at the request of the owner. Autopsy revealed massive atherosclerotic changes in the large abdominal vessels, the wall of the aorta, and the coronary vessels. Although the exact pathogenesis remains uncertain, these unusual findings might be explained by a primary hyperlipoproteinaemia, complicated by long-term use of corticosteroids.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7740743/