Incidental echocardiographic findings of a quadricuspid aortic valve associated with aortic regurgitation in a cat

• Published in: JFMS open reports 2015, Vol.1 (2), p.2055116915596356-2055116915596356
• Main Authors: Nakamura, Takashi, Sawada, Tamotsu, Takagi, Mayumi
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2055-1169; 2055-1169
• DOI: 10.1177/2055116915596356

CASE SUMMARYA 10-month-old male domestic shorthair cat was brought to Kitanomori Animal Hospital for routine castration. Preoperative thoracic radiography revealed a mildly enlarged heart silhouette, and transthoracic echocardiography (ECHO) suggested a quadricuspid aortic valve associated with central aortic regurgitation (regurgitant fraction 31%). After sedation with intramuscular medetomidine and midazolam for castration, heart rate decreased from 193 to 76 beats per minute. ECHO under sedation revealed two equally small and two equally large aortic valve cusps, suggesting a type C quadricuspid aortic valve. The findings were confirmed by real-time three-dimensional ECHO. RELEVANCE AND NOVEL INFORMATIONThis case reveals the echocardiographic features of a feline quadricuspid aortic valve and shows that transthoracic ECHO is useful to examine aortic valve morphology in cats. It also suggests that echocardiographic screening may be beneficial for detecting congenital cardiac anomalies in apparently healthy cats.