title: Ventricular septal defect with aortic valve insufficiency in a New Zealand White rabbit.
abstract: A heart murmur was detected in a 10 mo old, female New Zealand White rabbit. Auscultation revealed cardiac murmurs both at the left and right hemithorax. Phonocardiography confirmed the systolic-diastolic nature of the left-sided and the systolic character of the right-sided murmur. Electrocardiography showed normal sinus rhythm; tall R waves and large T waves in lead II; and deep S waves in leads II, III, and aVF. Thoracic radiography demonstrated generalized cardiomegaly with prominent pulmonary vasculature. Echocardiography revealed a perimembraneous ventricular septal defect with aortic insufficiency. Signs of biventricular volume overload, relative pulmonic stenosis, and pulmonary valve insufficiency were also seen as consequences of the defect. Necropsy demonstrated a ventricular septal defect just below the aortic valve, a dilated pulmonary trunk, dilated and hypertrophied ventricles, dilated atria, and rightward displacement of the aortic root. Cardiac histopathology showed ventricular cardiomyocyte degeneration (swelling and hypereosinophilia of the cytoplasm with a loss of cross striation, and nuclear hyperchromasia), cartilaginous metaplasia of the aorta, and subendocardial fibrosis of the right ventricular flow tract.
authors: Small Animal Clinic, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Hanover, Germany. Voros.Karoly@aotk.szie.hu
authors: Károly
authors: K
authors: Vörös
authors: Frauke
authors: F
authors: Seehusen
authors: Stephan
authors: S
authors: Hungerbühler
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Meyer-Lindenberg
authors: Nina
authors: N
authors: von der Hoeh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000662:veterinary; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000662:veterinary; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006345:Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D011817:Rabbits