Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with breathing trouble from lung blood clot and heart strain
By Sottiaux, J & Franck, M·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·1999·Clinique Vé, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pulmonary embolism and cor pulmonale in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 14-year-old male neutered cat had serious breathing problems about two weeks after surgery for a recurring abscess on his back. The vet found signs of a pulmonary embolism, which is a blockage in the lung arteries, using X-rays and ultrasound. Unfortunately, the cat had developed chronic pulmonary hypertension, which is high blood pressure in the lungs, leading to heart issues. Sadly, the cat did not survive, and a postmortem examination confirmed the presence of the embolism.
People also search for: cat breathing problems after surgery · pulmonary embolism in cats · cat heart problems treatment
Abstract
A 14-year-old male neutered cat experienced pulmonary embolism 15 days following surgical debridement of a recurrent dorsolumbar abscess. Clinical signs were dominated by respiratory distress. Pulmonary embolism was suggested from the lateral thoracic radiograph by the presence of an abruptly attenuated lobar artery and a contiguous oligaemic area in the caudal lung lobe. Pulmonary hypertension was demonstrated on Doppler echocardiography by right pulmonary artery dilation and tricuspid regurgitation raising the pulmonary arterial pressure to 56 mmHg. Chronic pulmonary hypertension, assumed from right ventricular wall hypertrophy, and hypokinesia, indicating chronic cor pulmonale, was suggestive of chronic rather than acute pulmonary embolism. Postmortem histological evidence of pulmonary arteriolar occlusion confirmed the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10088089/