Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 16, 2026
Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension and Assessment of Right Ventricular Function in the Piglet
Published on: November 4, 2015
Plexogenic pulmonary arteriopathy in a cat with non-restrictive ventricular septal defect and chronic pulmonary
D S Russell1, B A Scansen2, L Himmel1
1Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Insights
A cat with congenital heart disease survived for 8 years with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Post-mortem lung examination revealed plexogenic pulmonary arteriopathy, with death attributed to cardiac arrhythmia.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Pathology
Background:
- Congenital heart disease (CHD) in cats can lead to complex cardiovascular conditions.
- Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a serious complication that requires long-term management.
- This case examines the chronic progression of CHD and PAH in a feline patient.
Observation:
- A 10-week-old domestic long-hair cat presented with multiple congenital cardiac defects, including ventricular septal defect (VSD), atrial septal defect (ASD), and dextroposition.
- The cat was managed for 8 years, during which pulmonary arterial hypertension was diagnosed and monitored via echocardiography.
- Clinical stability was maintained despite significant cardiac anomalies and diagnosed PAH.
Findings:
- Histopathology of the lungs revealed plexogenic pulmonary arteriopathy, characterized by severe vascular lesions.
- Despite extensive pulmonary vascular disease, overt signs of right heart failure were absent at post-mortem examination.
- The cat's sudden death at 8 years of age was attributed to a fatal cardiac arrhythmia.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential for long-term survival in cats with complex CHD and chronic PAH.
- The presence of plexogenic pulmonary arteriopathy in this feline case provides a comparative model for similar conditions in other species, such as dogs.
- Understanding the long-term sequelae of CHD and PAH is crucial for improving diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in veterinary cardiology.
Abstract:
A 10-week-old, male, domestic long-hair cat was medically managed for congenital heart disease over a period of 8 years. Regular clinical examinations, including sequential echocardiography, documented a non-restrictive paramembranous ventricular septal defect, secundum-type atrial septal defect and aortic dextroposition. Pulmonary arterial hypertension was diagnosed by the presence of high-velocity tricuspid regurgitation, bidirectional low velocity flow across the ventricular septal defect, pulmonary arterial dilation and severe right ventricular hypertrophy without evidence of pulmonary outflow tract obstruction. The cat remained clinically stable until it died suddenly at 8 years of age. Histopathology of the lungs found evidence of plexogenic pulmonary arteriopathy. Despite severe pulmonary vascular lesions, other post-mortem evidence of right heart failure was lacking and death was attributed to a fatal cardiac arrhythmia. In this case report of a cat with chronic pulmonary hypertension over 8 years, plexogenic lesions were found on histopathology. The microscopic findings resemble those previously reported in dogs.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Pulmonary Hypertension: Classification and Pathogenesis
There are various classifications for PH, each relating to different underlying causes and also...
01:29Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
01:29Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
01:25Cardiomyopathy I: Introduction and Classification