Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ventricular septal defects in the horse.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1983
- Authors:
- Lombard, C W et al.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In a study involving six horses with a heart condition called ventricular septal defects (which are holes in the wall separating the heart's lower chambers), researchers gathered various medical data. They confirmed the defects in five horses after examining them post-mortem. When looking at heart images, three horses had normal heart sizes, while two had enlarged hearts. In three of the four horses that underwent further testing, there was a sign of abnormal blood flow from the left side of the heart to the right, indicating a specific type of defect. One young horse had a small defect that didn’t show the same abnormal blood flow. The study highlighted the importance of measuring heart pressures to check for other possible heart issues.
Abstract
Clinical, echocardiographic, and right-side cardiac catheterization data were collected in 6 horses with ventricular septal defects. The defects were confirmed by necropsy in 5 horses. On echocardiography, the cardiac dimensions were normal in 3 horses and enlarged in 2 others. A step-up in partial oxygen pressure between right atrium and right ventricle suggested a left-to-right shunt in 3 of the 4 horses catheterized. In 1 foal, a small defect without PO2 step-up was documented by angiocardiography. The oxymetry and pressure data were compared with previous cases from the reviewed literature, and the importance of pressure measurements to rule out concomitant defects was emphasized.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6618989/