Aortic foreign body (airgun pellet) embolism in a cat.
A five-year-old female domestic shorthair cat presented with clinical signs typical of an aortic saddle thromboembolism. An echocardiogram and thoracic radiographs excluded cardiac disease as a source of the thrombus. Two heavy metal opacity, pellet-like objects were seen in the thoracic and abdominal radiographs. Abdominal ultrasound demonstrated occlusion of aortic blood flow by the abdominal pellet but could not indicate whether this was due to a penetrating aortic wound or pellet embolisation. A necropsy confirmed a penetrating left ventricular cardiac wound with subsequent embolisation of the pellet to the abdominal aorta.
Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa.
F
F
Kettner
R M
RM
Kirberger
D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D002415:Cats; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000662:veterinary; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000662:veterinary; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000662:veterinary; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*