Presentation
Presents with increased respiratory effort and rate. Increased respiratory effort and rate. The patient is smaller than the rest of the litter, slow to gain weight and not nursing as frequently.
Patient Data
The dorsoventral projection is mismarked with the right side designated as left. The sternum is concave in appearance, and deviates dorsally toward the spine. This has resulted in deviation of the heart to the left hemithorax. The seventh and eighth sternal segments are not visible. The cardiac silhouette appears enlarged, and the vasculature is prominent.
Pectus excevatum. Possible congenital cardiac anomaly causing cardiomegaly and vascular pattern.
The indentation can be seen transversely across the thorax. The sternum was sutured to a splint for thoracic expansion.
Case Discussion
No heart murmur was ausculted, and further workup of the cardiac changes were not pursued. The splint expanded the sternum appropriately. With this support, the sternum has a chance to grow and mineralize into a more convex shape. Bengal cats have a high degree of common ancestry and a higher incidence of thoracic wall anomalies 2,3, and Munchkin cats are also more affected. Pectus excavatum may be caused by shortening of the tendinous portion of the diaphragm, pulling it towards the spine.
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