Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with lymphoma causing fluid around heart and breathing trouble
By Zoia, A et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2004·Department of Veterinary Clinical Science·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade in a cat with extranodal lymphoma.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old domestic longhaired cat was brought in for worsening breathing problems that had lasted a week. Tests showed the cat had fluid around the heart (pericardial effusion) and in the chest, along with signs of lymphoma, a type of cancer. The vet drained the excess fluid and started chemotherapy treatment. After three days in the hospital, the cat went home and, six months later, was still doing well without any symptoms.
People also search for: cat breathing problems · lymphoma treatment in cats · fluid around cat's heart · pericardial effusion in cats
Abstract
A five-year-old domestic longhaired cat was evaluated for a seven-day history of worsening respiratory distress. Serum analysis for feline leukaemia virus antigen was positive. Pleural effusion was detected on thoracic radiographs and echocardiography revealed a pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. Cytological evaluation of the pleural and pericardial effusions showed lymphoblastic cells indicative of disseminated lymphoma. Following thoracocentesis and pericardiocentesis, the cat was treated for lymphoma using the University of Wisconsin-Madison chemotherapy protocol. The cat was sent home after three days and, at the time of writing (six months after initial presentation), was still symptom free. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report confirming pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade in the cat as a direct result of an extranodal lymphoma with cytological evidence of neoplastic cells in the pericardial fluid.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15460206/