Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ovarian remnant syndrome in a cat with ovarian tissue in the omentum.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 2020
- Authors:
- Fontes, Gabrielle S & McCarthy, Robert J
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat was having recurring signs of heat (estrous behavior) even after she had been spayed and had two surgeries to check for any remaining ovarian tissue. During her check-up, everything seemed normal, but a blood test showed hormones that suggested there might still be some ovarian tissue present. An ultrasound found a small mass near her left kidney. When the cat was showing signs of heat again, she underwent surgery, and while the areas around her ovaries and uterus looked normal, two small nodules were removed from the omentum (a fold of tissue in the abdomen). One of these nodules was confirmed to contain ovarian tissue, and after the surgery, her heat signs went away, and her hormone levels returned to what is expected for a spayed cat. The treatment was successful in resolving her symptoms.
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION: A 2-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat was evaluated for recurring estrous behavior after ovariohysterectomy and 2 subsequent exploratory laparotomies. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Physical examination revealed no abnormalities. A serum sample tested positive for anti-Müllerian hormone and had a progesterone concentration consistent with the presence of an ovarian remnant. Results of abdominal ultrasonographic examination suggested presence of a slightly hyperechoic mass caudal to the left kidney. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Exploratory laparotomy was performed when the cat was showing estrous behavior. Tissues at the right and left ovarian pedicles and the uterine stump appeared grossly normal but were excised and submitted for histologic examination. Two small nodules associated with the omentum were removed, and histologic examination results for one of these nodules indicated ovarian tissue with secondary and graafian follicles. Clinical signs of estrus resolved after surgery, and hormonal assay results were within ranges expected for an ovariectomized cat. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: To the authors' knowledge, the present case represented the first clinical report of ovarian remnant syndrome in a cat or dog in which persistent ovarian tissue was not found at the site of an ovarian pedicle. Our findings emphasized the importance of exploring the entire abdominal cavity when evaluating a patient for possible ovarian remnant tissue and confirming the excision of ovarian remnant tissue by histologic assessment.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32856997/