Ventricular septal defect in a houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii)

A ventricular septal defect was found in a juvenile captive-bred houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata) that died suddenly. The case history indicated that the bird had a retarded growth and maturation rate. Gross pathology demonstrated massive internal hemorrhage, an enlarged heart with an interventricular septal defect, one shrunken liver lobe, and hypoplastic kidneys. Histologically, the liver was characterized by fatty degeneration, and there was hydropic degeneration of the cardiac muscle fibers. We suggest that the occurrence of this defect led to cardiac insufficiency, which resulted in sudden death caused by hemorrhage from the liver.