Right atrioventricular atresia and ventricular septal defect in a foal.

This research article reports a rare congenital heart disorder identified in a one-week-old Arabian foal. The disorder, right atrioventricular atresia coupled with a ventricular septal defect, resulted in the foal’s weak condition and struggles with breathing since its birth.

Background and Presentation of the Foal

• The research focuses on an Arabian foal, just one week old, diagnosed with a rare congenital cardiac anomaly – Right atrioventricular atresia with a ventricular septal defect.
• Since birth, the foal had been showing signs of weakness and cyanosis, a condition where it turned blue due to less quantity of oxygen reaching the tissues. Under stress, the foal even developed dyspnea, a condition of having difficulty in breathing.

Findings of the Research

• Upon post-mortem examination, also known as necropsy in veterinary science, they detected an abnormality in the heart of the foal. The evaluation conveyed that there was a dilation and hypertrophy (enlargement) in the left ventricle of the heart.
• Contrarily, the right ventricle was smaller, and notably, the right atrioventricular valve, which otherwise sends oxygen-depleted blood from the right atrium to the right ventricle, was missing. This condition is known as right atrioventricular atresia, where the right atrioventricular valve does not develop correctly or is absent.
• Besides, there was an abnormal opening between the right and left ventricles of the heart, a condition described as a ventricular septal defect. The septal opening was located very close to the aortic valve, thereby facilitating a mingling of oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood.

Conclusion of the Research

• Through this research, an extremely rare case of combined anomalies – right atrioventricular atresia along with a ventricular septal defect has been pointed out in a one-week-old Arabian foal.
• Such congenital heart defects are not common in either human or animal world. The symptoms shown by the foal since its birth were due to these combined defects leading to a loss in strength and breathing trouble.
• This detailed case study helps in understanding the impact of such defects on the cardiac functioning and overall health. It adds value to the existing literature on rare cardiac anomalies in animals.