Ascending aortic aneurysm associated with tetralogy of Fallot in an adult mare.
Abstract: Congenital heart disease is relatively uncommon in horses. Only three reports exist that describe a tetralogy of Fallot in adult horses. Whereas in humans the presence of congenital heart disease constitutes a risk factor for developing aortic aneurysms, their association has never been reported in horses. Here, we present a case with a large ascending aortic aneurysm as a complication of a tetralogy of Fallot in an adult mare. The mare was referred with sustained tachycardia and a 5 days history of mild intermittent colic, depression, inappetence and weight loss. Echocardiography was used to characterize the cardiac abnormalities and aortic root dilation. Due to the poor prognosis, the mare was euthanized and post-mortem examination further characterized the abnormalities. At least four factors contributed in this case to the development of aortic haematoma: congenital disease, mucoid extracellular matrix accumulation vasa vasorum dysfunction and inflammatory/degenerative lesions in the aorta's intima. Although colic is primarily caused by gastrointestinal issues, cardiac disease should be suspected in cases with sustained tachycardia, even in absence of murmurs or arrhythmias. Despite the fact that congenital abnormalities are usually detected in foals, they may sometimes remain unnoticed for several years.
© 2020 The Authors. Veterinary Medicine and Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Publication Date: 2020-06-23 PubMed ID: 32573982PubMed Central: PMC7840212DOI: 10.1002/vms3.311Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research focuses on a unique case of an adult mare with a tetralogy of Fallot, a rare congenital heart condition in horses, which developed into an ascending aortic aneurysm. This is the first reported instance of such an association in horses, even though it’s common in humans with congenital heart diseases.
About Tetralogy of Fallot and Related Complications
- The tetralogy of Fallot is a rare type of congenital heart disease. It has only been reported three times in adult horses prior to this study.
- The condition has been identified in humans as a risk factor for developing aortic aneurysms, but no reports have shown a similar association in horses until now.
- The study reports an adult mare presenting a large ascending aortic aneurysm, a severe and life-threatening heart condition, as a complication from this congenital defect.
The Case Study
- The mare studied showed signs of sustained tachycardia, mild intermittent colic, depression, inappetence, and weight loss. These symptoms led to the horse’s referral for further investigation.
- Echocardiography, a type of ultrasound that creates detailed images of the heart, was used to identify the cardiac abnormalities and dilation of the aortic root.
- Due to the poor prognosis as a result of the severe aneurysm and the underlying heart condition, the mare was euthanized. A post-mortem examination was conducted to further elucidate the abnormalities.
Contributing Factors to Aortic Haematoma
- The research identified at least four factors contributing to the development of aortic haematoma, a condition where blood collects outside of the blood vessels, in the mare. These include the original congenital disease (tetralogy of Fallot), accumulation of a jelly-like substance (mucoid extracellular matrix) around the blood vessels (vasa vasorum), and inflammatory/degenerative lesions in the inner layer of the aorta (aorta’s intima).
Implications
- While colic is primarily caused by gastrointestinal issues in horses, this study indicates that cardiac disease should also be considered as a potential cause, especially in cases with persistent fast heart rate (tachycardia), even without the presence of heart murmurs or arrhythmias.
- The research demonstrates that congenital abnormalities may not always be detected early in foals and may remain unnoticed for several years, manifesting in severe complications like an aortic aneurysm.
Cite This Article
APA
Vitale V, Van Galen G, Laurberg M, Young B, Mciver V, Wereszka M, Gimeno M.
(2020).
Ascending aortic aneurysm associated with tetralogy of Fallot in an adult mare.
Vet Med Sci, 7(1), 9-15.
https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.311 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- University Teaching Hospital, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales, Australia.
- University Teaching Hospital, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales, Australia.
- University Teaching Hospital, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales, Australia.
- University Teaching Hospital, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales, Australia.
- University Teaching Hospital, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales, Australia.
- University Teaching Hospital, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales, Australia.
- University Teaching Hospital, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Aortic Aneurysm / diagnosis
- Aortic Aneurysm / diagnostic imaging
- Aortic Aneurysm / etiology
- Aortic Aneurysm / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Tetralogy of Fallot / complications
- Tetralogy of Fallot / diagnosis
- Tetralogy of Fallot / diagnostic imaging
- Tetralogy of Fallot / veterinary
Conflict of Interest Statement
None.
References
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