Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Situational syncope caused by vomiting in a cat.
- Journal:
- The Journal of veterinary medical science
- Year:
- 2024
- Authors:
- Hirao, Daiki et al.
- Affiliation:
- Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology · Japan
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 14-year-old spayed female mixed-breed cat weighing 3.4 kg was brought to the veterinary hospital after she fainted following some vomiting. Tests like heart scans and X-rays showed no problems, but a special heart monitor revealed a temporary serious heart block that happened at the same time as her vomiting. The cat was diagnosed with situational syncope (fainting caused by a specific situation) linked to this heart issue, and she improved with medication to stop the vomiting. Unfortunately, she later passed away from chronic kidney disease about three years after this incident. This case is the first of its kind reported in cats.
Abstract
A 14-year-old spayed female mixed-breed cat weighing 3.4 kg was admitted to the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Animal Medical Center for syncope after vomiting. Echocardiography, electrocardiography, and thoracic radiography revealed no abnormalities. Holter electrocardiography showed a paroxysmal high-grade atrioventricular block coinciding with the vomiting. Based on these findings, the cat was diagnosed as having situational syncope with paroxysmal high-grade atrioventricular block triggered by vomiting, which improved with antiemetic treatment alone. The cat subsequently died of chronic kidney disease approximately 3 years and 4 months after the initial diagnosis. This is the first reported case of situational syncope triggered by vomiting in a cat.
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: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39414442/