Diagnosis of multiple congenital cardiac defects in a newborn calf

Abstract

This case report presents the clinical diagnostic work-up and surgical approach via cardiopulmonary by-pass technique in 15 day-old, male, Simmental calf with multiple cardiac defects. Calf suffered from respiratory stress and poor growth. Cardiac auscultation revealed a loud pansystolic murmur with cardiac trill of both transthoracic area of the heart. Cardiomegaly and pulmonary artery bulge (x-ray) and atrial fibrillation were observed. Color Doppler transthoracic echocardiography revealed musculomembranous ventricular septal defect (VSD), atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) with left to right shunt. Routine hematological and serum biochemistry profiles were non-specific. Calf underwent to lateral thoracotomy for surgical correction of multiple cardiac defects. During the cardiopulmonary by-pass, calf was dead due to hemodynamic imbalances and ventricular fibrillation. Necropsy confirmed the presence of multiple cardiac defects in this case.