Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with rapid breathing and heart defect causing blue gums
By Chuzel, Thomas et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2007·Ecole Nationale Vé, France·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Persistent truncus arteriosus in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-month-old male domestic cat was brought to the vet because he was breathing rapidly and had a bluish tint to his gums after playing. The vet found that he had an abnormal heart murmur and signs of heart enlargement on X-rays. Further tests showed that he had a serious heart defect called persistent truncus arteriosus, where the main artery is not properly formed, leading to poor blood circulation. Unfortunately, despite the diagnosis, the cat did not survive.
People also search for: cat heavy breathing after exercise · cat heart murmur symptoms · persistent truncus arteriosus in cats
Abstract
A 5-month-old male domestic cat presented with a history of rapid, heavy breathing and cyanosis after exercise. Physical examination showed an abnormal respiratory pattern with an increased rate and stress-induced cyanosis. Auscultation revealed tachycardia and a grade 5/6 systolic murmur best heard over the left base. Radiographs showed evidence of right atrial and ventricular enlargement with distended pulmonary vessels and an enlarged ascending aorta. An echocardiographic examination revealed a dilated right atrium, eccentric right ventricular hypertrophy and an overriding aorta associated with a large ventricular septal defect (VSD). The pulmonary trunk could not be identified by echocardiography. Doppler and saline contrast studies showed large right-to-left shunting through the VSD. These findings were compatible with persistent truncus arteriosus, which was confirmed at necropsy.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17689468/