Morphology of the venous system of the heart in the van cat

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Anatomy
• Cardiovascular Morphology
• Comparative Anatomy

Background:

• Understanding cardiac venous drainage is crucial for diagnosing and treating cardiovascular diseases in felines.
• Previous studies on feline cardiac venous anatomy have shown species-specific variations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and describe the morphology of the veins draining the heart in the Van cat breed.
• To identify the main cardiac veins and their tributaries in this specific feline population.

Main Methods:

• Gross anatomical dissection of the cardiac vasculature in Van cats.
• Detailed observation and documentation of the origin, course, and termination of cardiac veins.

Main Results:

• Identified the great cardiac vein, middle cardiac vein, right cardiac veins, and smallest cardiac veins.
• Observed no anastomosis between the paraconal and subsinuosal interventricular veins.
• The coronary sinus was formed by the great and middle cardiac veins.
• Significant variations were noted in the origins of the right cardiac veins, with the right semicircumflex vein present in 50% of subjects.

Conclusions:

• The cardiac venous drainage in Van cats exhibits distinct characteristics, including the absence of interventricular vein anastomosis.
• Variations in right cardiac vein origins highlight the need for breed-specific anatomical knowledge in veterinary practice.