title: Complete transposition of the aorta and pulmonary artery in a Belgian Blue crossbreed calf: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Complete transposition of the great arteries is a congenital cardiac malformation occasionally encountered in cattle and other species. The objective of the present report was to provide a detailed clinical, echocardiographic and post mortem description of a calf presenting with this condition.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 6-week old male Belgian Blue cross-breed calf was examined for respiratory distress and exercise intolerance. The patient was bright, alert and responsive without any neurologic abnormalities but was exercise intolerant, had marked cyanosis, tachycardia, tachypnea, a pansystolic heart murmur as well as a bilaterally palpable thrill over the heart. Arterial blood gas analysis revealed marked hypoxemia (PaO(2)=23 mmHg, O(2)sat=41.1%), mild hypercapnia and compensated respiratory acidosis. Echocardiographic examination revealed a complete transposition of the great arteries in combination with a ventricular septal defect through which blood shunted bidirectionally. Cardiac catheterization confirmed that arterialization of blood of the systemic circulation solely occurred in the right ventricle through blood shunting from the left into the right ventricle. Results of post mortem examination are presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complete transposition of the great arteries is a cyanotic congenital anomaly repeatedly reported in calves that should be considered as differential diagnosis in patients presenting with hypoxemia more severe than commonly encountered with other congenital cyanotic heart conditions. We give a comprehensive summary of the clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up and post mortem examination of a Belgian Blue cross-breed calf with complete transposition of the great arteries.
authors: Department of Farm Animal Health, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands. Waltergruenberg@yahoo.com
authors: Walter
authors: W
authors: Grünberg
authors: Leonie W l
authors: LW
authors: van Bruggen
authors: Susanne W F
authors: SW
authors: Eisenberg
authors: Erik A W S
authors: EA
authors: Weerts
authors: Alan
authors: A
authors: Wolfe
references: Circulation. 1969 Jul;40(1):31-41
references: 5802510
references: Circulation. 2001 Dec 4;104(23):2809-14
references: 11733399
references: Am J Cardiol. 1985 Apr 15;55(9):1140-5
references: 3984891
references: Teratology. 1975 Feb;11(1):65-9
references: 124472
references: Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2010 May-Jun;52(6):540-9
references: 20417348
references: J Physiol. 1974 Nov;242(3):805-26
references: 4475693
references: Circulation. 1969 Aug;40(2):237-62
references: 4240356
references: Am J Vet Res. 1986 May;47(5):1120-1
references: 3717736
references: Vet Rec. 1981 Feb 21;108(8):163-5
references: 7210447
references: Vet J. 2010 Jun;184(3):258-63
references: 19734077
references: Am J Cardiol. 1971 Dec;28(6):632-40
references: 5120129
references: Circulation. 2006 Dec 12;114(24):2699-709
references: 17159076
references: Ann Intern Med. 1998 May 1;128(9):745-55
references: 9556469
references: J Am Coll Cardiol. 2000 Jul;36(1):255-61
references: 10898443
references: Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2004 Jul;20(2):185-214, v
references: 15203222
references: Vet Rec. 2007 Nov 17;161(20):688-91
references: 18024924
references: Br Heart J. 1964 May;26:343-53
references: 14156085
references: Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2005 May-Jun;46(3):259-62
references: 16050286
references: Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr. 1990 Dec;97(12):532-4
references: 2088708
references: Zentralbl Veterinarmed A. 1970 Nov;17(9):780-95
references: 4997501
references: J Vet Med Sci. 2004 Jan;66(1):73-6
references: 14960816