Atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect

In summary, ASD and VSD sometimes do not require surgical intervention and have a good-to-excellent prognosis in animal patients in which surgical intervention is necessary. Animal patients with these diseases often do not show symptoms, but those that do and cannot be adequately managed medically are challenging but rewarding cardiac surgical cases.

Ventricular septal defect in an infant chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)

During clinical examinations and imaging studies of a prematurely born chimpanzee, a heart murmur, tachypnea, dyspnea, and disturbances of blood flow were observed. At necropsy, cardiomegaly, ventricular hypertrophy, and septal defects confirmed the presence of congenital VSD.

Congenital cardiac defects in two closely related Jersey calves

This paper describes similar congenital cardiac anomalies in 2 half sibling Jersey calves. Both calves had ventricular septal defects with dextraposition of the aorta and hypertrophy of the right ventricle, consistent with Eisenmenger's complex. One of the calves also had patent foramen ovale. The 2 calves had been sired by the same bull, and collateral relationships existed between the sire and the 2 dams.

Echocardiographic and anatomic correlation of ventricular septal defect morphology in newborn Yucatan pigs

With the use of a Yucatan micropig strain with a high incidence of ventricular septal defects (VSDs), results of two-dimensional and color-flow Doppler echocardiography of VSD morphology in newborn piglets were correlated with autopsy findings. A spectrum of perimembranous, muscular outlet, and doubly committed subarterial VSDs was found. Echocardiography was performed in 29 piglets weighing 1.2 to 4.4 (mean 2.8) kg, studied at age 4 to 18 (mean 8) days. VSD was diagnosed by means of echocardiography in 16 of 29 subjects; morphologic findings included perimembranous defects in 12, muscular outlet in two, and doubly committed subarterial defect in two. At autopsy the presence and location of defects were confirmed in all pigs. No additional defects were found. VSD diameters were 1.0 to 5.0 (mean 3.94) mm on echocardiography and 1.0 to 6.0 (mean 2.84) mm at autopsy. After aortic valve diameter was used as an internal control for tissue shrinkage during fixation, echocardiography/color Doppler imaging tended to overestimate VSD diameter by 21% (0.6 mm). In conclusion, echocardiography/Doppler imaging accurately identified the presence, morphology, and size of even the smallest VSDs in newborn Yucatan micropigs. Echocardiographic classification of VSD morphology in vivo will facilitate future research on specific types of VSDs in this animal model.

Ventricular septal defects in bovine twins

Ventricular septal defects were diagnosed in twin cows. One of the cows was slaughtered, and the other died of complications associated with the defect. This and other reports may provide evidence to determine the basis of ventricular septal defects in cattle.

Multiple nonlethal congenital anomalies in a llama

Whereas numerous congenital anomalies in South American camelids have been reported, multiple anomalies are uncommon. A young llama evaluated for bilateral hind limb lameness was found to have cranially rotated tibial tarsal bones as well as bilateral carpus and tarsus valgus and a ventricular septal defect. These anomalies were likely hereditary, and llamas so affected should not be bred.

Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of congenital cardiac disease. An introduction

M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiography have greatly enhanced the evaluation of animals with congenital cardiac disease. Structural abnormalities can be seen and hemodynamic alterations inferred, e.g., ventricular wall concentric hypertrophy indicating pressure overload to the respective ventricle. Interrogation of the diseased heart by Doppler echocardiography allows acquisition of more direct hemodynamic information without cardiac catheterization, which enables the clinician to give a more precise description of a congenital abnormality. The purpose of this study is to illustrate and describe abnormal blood-flow patterns in selected congenital cardiac defects in animals. Basic background information concerning Doppler echocardiographic principles, flow patterns, and calculations will be briefly discussed. For more detailed descriptions other references should be sought. Interpretation of Doppler echocardiography in animals is based primarily on data derived from human studies since studies involving measurable numbers of veterinary patients have not yet been completed.

Congenital cranioventral abdominal wall, caudal sternal, diaphragmatic, pericardial, and intracardiac defects in cocker spaniel littermates

Five littermate Cocker Spaniels were born with concomitant pericardial, diaphragmatic, caudal sternal, and cranioventral abdominal wall defects. Three of the 5 pups had ventricular septal defects. A sixth pup with a cranioventral abdominal wall defect died 4 days after birth. No history of teratogen exposure was reported, and none of the pups from previous litters of the dam was affected. Each pup underwent successful surgical correction (without median sternotomy) of the diaphragmatic and cranial abdominal wall defects when they were 10 to 12 weeks old. The ventricular septal defects were not corrected. In 2 of 3 pups with ventricular septal defects, thoracic radiography 6 months after surgery revealed moderate generalized cardiomegaly. All pups were healthy one year after surgery.

Evolutionary origin of cardiac malformations

The author has proposed in previous publications that isolated cardiac malformations have an evolutionary origin. This is partly supported by the fact that isolated cardiac malformations found in humans occur also in other placental mammals as well as in birds. External gross examination of the heart in just over 5,000 birds was carried out during a 3 year period. Anomalies included one instance of duplicate hearts, two specimens in which no heart could be identified and in a fourth, a yellow-rumped warbler, the heart lay in the neck outside of the thoracic cavity. Published reports of similar occurrences of an ectopically placed heart concern birds, cattle and humans. The fact that various species of both placental mammals and birds show evidence of heritability for heart defects, and that these species cannot interbreed, combined with the fact that birds and mammals have many similar malformations, points to either a common external causative factor or a common origin. Genes that code the malformed heart must be transmitted with that part of the genetic makeup common to all birds and mammals. Malformations caused by teratogens produce widespread organ injury to a potentially normal embryo whereas the evolutionary malformation is an organ-specific anomaly in an otherwise normal mammal or bird and occurs in widely separated species. The implications of this theory are important for parents of children with an isolated congenital heart defect who may have ingested one or another drug or chemical or have been exposed to toxins or infectious agents before or after conception of the affected offspring.

Right atrioventricular atresia and ventricular septal defect in a foal

Right atrioventricular atresia with a ventricular septal defect, a rare congenital cardiac anomaly of either animals or man, was diagnosed in a one week old Arabian foal. The foal had been weak and cyanotic since birth, sometimes becoming dyspneic when stressed. Necropsy revealed a dilated and hypertrophied left ventricle with the right ventricle being small. The right atrioventricular valve was absent. The right and left ventricles communicated via a septal defect which was located immediately adjacent to the aortic valve.

Spontaneous closure of isolated ventricular septal defect in the pika (Ochotona rufescens rufescens)

The incidence of spontaneously occurring ventricular septal defects (VSD) in PIKA neonates and its fate during development are investigated. A total of 160 PIKAs were used in the present study. They consisted of three groups; first, 56 live neonates, second, 37 3-week-old live animals and third, 68 animals which had died during the first two weeks after birth from unknown causes. As high as 8.9% (5 cases out of 56) of the live neonates revealed isolated ventricular septal defects of membranous type. Decreased incidence (2.7%) was seen in 3-week-old PIKAs. Its implication and significance are evaluated in the discussion.

Echocardiography. Congenital heart disease

Echocardiography can be used to identify malformations of the heart and to assess the degree of cardiac compensation that occurs with congenital heart disease. Integration of clinical and ultrasound data will generally allow a diagnosis to be made noninvasively. Contrast echocardiography may delineate intracardiac shunting.

Echocardiographic detection of ventricular septal defects in large animals

Ventricular septal defects in a foal, a 2-year-old filly, and 2 calves were demonstrated with M-mode and two-dimensional real-time echocardiography. The studies were performed with the animals unsedated, either standing or in lateral recumbency. Cardiac windows were located between the 4th and 7th intercostal spaces, approximately at the level of the olecranon. In each case, the septal defect was visualized high in the membranous portion of the interventricular septum. Defects were visualized by use of sector scanning or linear-array ultrasonic equipment, with transducer frequencies of 2.25 to 3.5 MHz.

Transposition of the great arteries in a cat

Transposition of the great arteries, a congenital cardiac disorder, was diagnosed in a 4-month-old domestic short-haired kitten. Angiography revealed a patent ductus arteriosis, with the pulmonary artery originating from the left ventricle and the aorta originating from the right ventricle. Blood gas analysis suggested a high ventricular septal defect. Necropsy confirmed the diagnosis.

Cardiovascular disease in the equine neonate

Cardiac disease in the equine neonate occurs infrequently. Murmurs are often heard in foals and are not considered significant unless they persist beyond 4 days of age. Congenital cardiac defects are the most common form of primary cardiac disease in the foal, with ventricular septal defects occurring most frequently. Other neonatal foal diseases such as ruptured bladders, white muscle disease, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, and septicemia have secondary cardiac involvement.

Congenital cardiac disease in dogs

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) generally occurs high in the membranous septum rather than lower in the muscular portion. The English Bulldog and Siberian Husky may be predisposed. Clinical signs include a holosystolic or crescendo-decrescendo murmur best heard low on the right side at the 3rd-4th intercostal space and, with large defects, pulmonary congestion, exercise intolerance, cyanosis and ascites. The ECG is normal unless the right ventricle is hypertrophied, which causes right axis deviation and other electrocardiographic signs of right-sided heart enlargement. Plain film thoracic radiographs reveal signs of right-sided heart enlargement but often are not diagnostic. Nonselective angiocardiography is often not useful in diagnosing VSD with a left-to-right shunt of blood. Selective angiocardiography, in which contrast medium is injected directly into the left ventricle via a catheter, is the method of choice for diagnosis of VSD. Dogs with a small VSD remain asymptomatic, but those with large defects require surgical correction with a prosthetic septal pathic or pulmonary artery band.

Thermodilution curves for diagnosis of ventricular septal defect in cattle

An indicator dilution method developed for detection of intracardiac shunts and determination of cardiac output in man and domestic animals was evaluated in 4 calves and 1 cow with holosystolic cardiac murmurs. Thermodilution curves recorded from the pulmonary artery and the right ventricle confirmed a left-to-right intracardiac shunt and provided a means for its quantitation. Ventricular septal defect was confirmed in 2 cows, which were euthanatized. The data obtained by thermodilution were evaluated along with information obtained from other diagnostic procedures (auscultation, oximetry, echocardiography, measurement of intravascular pressures). It was concluded that the procedure is a simple and accurate method for diagnosis of ventricular septal defect in cattle.

Unusual vascular ring in a cat: left aortic arch with right ligamentum arteriosum

A young kitten was presented with regurgitation of food at weaning. Episodes of respiratory distress and cyanosis were also present. The cause of food regurgitation was a perioesophageal vascular ring caused by left descending aorta and a right ligamentum arteriosum. This type of vascular ring has not previously been described. There was also anomalous development of the right subclavian artery and a large ventricular septal defect. The respiratory distress and cyanosis was most probably caused by a combination of tracheal compression by the vascular ring and a polycythaemia associated with the ventricular septal defect. Surgical correction was not attempted.