Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Severe tricuspid valve problem and heart enlargement in a Red Angus
By Dias Moreira, A S et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2019·Department of Medical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Tricuspid valve dysplasia and a patent foramen ovale resulting in severe tricuspid regurgitation and right-heart dilation in a Red Angus calf.
- Species:
- cattle
Plain-English summary
A two-month-old Red Angus heifer calf was brought in for breathing difficulties and a rapid heartbeat. The vet found that the calf had a heart murmur and signs of heart enlargement on X-rays. An ultrasound of the heart revealed issues with the tricuspid valve, causing severe backflow of blood and dilation of the right side of the heart. Unfortunately, the calf did not survive, and a postmortem confirmed these heart problems. This case highlights the importance of using ultrasound to diagnose heart issues in young animals.
People also search for: calf breathing problems · Red Angus heart murmur · tricuspid valve dysplasia in calves
Abstract
A two-month-old Red Angus heifer calf presented to the University of Wisconsin Veterinary Care for evaluation of suspected severe bronchopneumonia. Pertinent physical exam findings included tachycardia, tachypnea, dyspnea with a significant abdominal component, and cyanotic mucous membranes. On thoracic auscultation, wheezes were present bilaterally, as well as a grade 2/6 right apical systolic murmur. Thoracic radiographs revealed cardiomegaly, most severely affecting the right side. Echocardiography showed tricuspid valve dysplasia, resulting in severe tricuspid regurgitation and right-heart dilation, as well as a patent foramen ovale. A postmortem examination confirmed the presence of the aforementioned cardiac abnormalities and revealed only mild pulmonary changes. This case report is the first to describe tricuspid dysplasia in the absence of multiple, complex congenital cardiac abnormalities in a calf, and it highlights the value of echocardiography for an antemortem diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30797442/