Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with rare congenital heart defect causing murmur and exercise
By Tanner, M C et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2022·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Presumed congenital Gerbode defect in an American Domestic Shorthair cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A five-month-old Domestic Shorthair cat was brought in because she had a heart murmur and was having trouble exercising. The vet found a significant heart defect called a Gerbode defect, which causes blood to flow incorrectly between the heart's chambers. This condition is rare in cats and can be present from birth. Fortunately, the cat is currently alive and doing well, maintaining a good quality of life despite the defect.
People also search for: cat heart murmur · Domestic Shorthair exercise intolerance · Gerbode defect in cats · congenital heart defect treatment in cats
Abstract
A five-month-old, intact female Domestic Shorthair cat presented to the Kansas State Veterinary Health Center for evaluation of a murmur and exercise intolerance. Physical exam revealed a grade V/VI right, parasternal, holosystolic murmur. On echocardiogram, there was an abnormality in the membranous interventricular septum and tricuspid valve, allowing blood to shunt from the left ventricle to the right atrium. This lesion is consistent with an infravalvular Gerbode defect. The Gerbode defect is a rare, left ventricle-to-right atrial shunt that can be congenital or acquired, and in cats, has only been reported once. At the time of submission, the patient is alive and is maintaining a good quality of life.
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/35439712/