Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CT scan shows fatal heartworm lung clots in young cat
By Panopoulos, Ioannis et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2018·Istituto Veterinario di Novara, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Multidetector computed tomographic pulmonary angiography in a cat with fatal heartworm disease.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 17-month-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat was brought to the vet because he was having trouble breathing. A special CT scan of his chest revealed serious lung issues caused by heartworm disease, which is caused by a parasite that can infect cats. Despite treatment efforts, the cat's health quickly worsened, and the owners made the difficult decision to euthanize him. A tissue examination confirmed that the cat had heartworm disease, leading to dangerous blood clots in his lungs.
People also search for: cat breathing problems · heartworm disease in cats · cat euthanasia decision · heartworm treatment for cats
Abstract
A 17-month-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat was referred for a computed tomographic (CT) study of the thorax due to respiratory distress. Multidetector CT angiography showed a multifocal interstitial ground glass opacity, tortuous and blunted pulmonary arteries consistent with thromboembolism with perivascular lung infiltration and hypoventilation in multiple lung lobes. A blood antigen test was positive for Dirofilaria immitis. The cat's clinical condition rapidly declined and the owners elected euthanasia. The histopathologic examination confirmed heartworm disease with parasitic pulmonary thromboembolism.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28464566/