Pulmonary thromboembolism in cats: 29 cases (1987-1997)

摘要

Clinical signs, clinicopathological abnormalities, radiographic findings, histological abnormalities and predisposing factors were described in 29 cats with pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). Median age of cats with PTE was 8.7 years and median weightwas 4.1 kg. Commonest owner-reported problems included lethargy (17 cats), anorexia (14), weight loss (10), and difficulties in breathing (8); physical abnormalities included lethargy (21), tachypnoea or dyspnoea (16) and dehydration (13). Clinicopathological abnormalities reflected concurrent or underlying diseases. Common radiographic abnormalities included pulmonary vessel abnormalities (11), pleural effusion (8) and peripheral non-circumscribed consolidations (6). Underlying or predisposing conditions, including cardiac disease (12), neoplasia (10), corticosteroid administration (8), disseminated intravascular coagulation (5), protein-losing nephropathy (4) or enteropathy (4), immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia (2) and sepsis (2) were identified in all cats. It is suggested that PTE can develop in cats of any age, sex or breed. Because PTE is a serious, potentially life-threatening disease, it should be suspected in cats with thoracic radiographic changes suggestive of uneven distribution of blood flow between lung lobes, especially in cats that have predisposing factors or diseases.