Ventricular septal defect in a ferret (Mustela putorius furo)

Abstract

A four-year-old, castrated male ferret (Mustela putorius furo) was evaluated because of a one-year history of sporadic cough. On physical examination a grade 5 of 6 holosystolic murmur was audible over the right apex of the heart. Radiographic findings included the presence of air bronchograms in apical lobes accompanied by pulmonary venous congestion. Colour Doppler echocardiography revealed a left-to-right shunting compatible with a ventricular septal defect. Medical therapy was initiated at the time of the diagnosis. The ferret was presented again 2 months after the initial examination for coughing and respiratory distress. Echocardiographic findings included tricuspid regurgitation, relative enlargement of left-atrial diameter and decreased systolic function, with presence of pleural effusion. Thoracocentesis was performed and the therapeutic plan was revised. In the following months the symptoms did not recur. In the authors' opinion this is the first report to describe the clinical findings of isolated ventricular septal defect in the ferret. Congenital heart defects are rare in this species, the present ferret being only the second case described.

Comunicação interventricular em cães: Revisão

“…Têm-se a opção cirúrgica paliativa de colocação de bandagem compressora ao redor da artéria pulmonar, com o propósito de elevar a pressão sistólica ventricular direita, e reduzir o gradiente de pressão interventricular, devido a diminuição do volume de sangue desviado. Para o fechamento do defeito septal, foi relatada pelo cateterismo (Jericó et al, 2015), a colocação de prótese do tipo Amplatzer ® (Figura 3) (Di Girolamo et al, 2012). Além do mais, é uma opção viável para pacientes com defeitos musculares, entretanto, é contraindicada naqueles com desvio direita-esquerda (Jericó et al, 2015), pois a prótese faz aumento da pressão sistólica dentro do ventrículo direito e consequentemente uma diminuição do fluxo de sangue desviado (Fossum, 2014).…”

Medical and Surgical Emergencies in Ferrets

“…Empirically, the author uses pimobendan (0.25-0.5 mg/kg, twice a day) and benazepril (0.5 mg/kg, once a day). 66 Chronic diuretic use of furosemide, at the lowest dose to control signs of CHF, is needed.…”

“…Currently, ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, and tetralogy of Fallot are described in ferrets. 66,72,73 Often the ferrets are asymptomatic until adulthood, Fig. 38.…”

“…when, as a consequence of severe heart remodeling, they develop CHF. 66,73 Treatment is symptomatic, because surgical correction of congenital heart disorders in ferrets has never been reported.…”

Echokardiografische Untersuchung klinisch gesunder Frettchen ohne Sedation

“…[8]. Das Spektrum an dokumentierten angeborenen Anomalien beim Frettchen umfasst v. a. Shuntverbindungen wie den Atrium- und Ventrikelseptumdefekt, aber auch Kombinationsmissbildungen wie die Fallot'sche Tetralogie [1][2] [3]. Wie in anderen Bereichen der Kleintiermedizin ist auch beim Frettchen der Herzultraschall inzwischen wesentlicher Baustein der kardialen Diagnostik.…”