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Background: Complete transposition of the great arteries is a congenital cardiac malformation occasionally encountered in cattle and other species. The objective of the present report was to provide a detailed clinical, echocardiographic and post mortem description of a calf presenting with this condition., Case Presentation: A 6-week old male Belgian Blue cross-breed calf was examined for respiratory distress and exercise intolerance. The patient was bright, alert and responsive without any neurologic abnormalities but was exercise intolerant, had marked cyanosis, tachycardia, tachypnea, a pansystolic heart murmur as well as a bilaterally palpable thrill over the heart. Arterial blood gas analysis revealed marked hypoxemia (PaO(2)=23 mmHg, O(2)sat=41.1%), mild hypercapnia and compensated respiratory acidosis. Echocardiographic examination revealed a complete transposition of the great arteries in combination with a ventricular septal defect through which blood shunted bidirectionally. Cardiac catheterization confirmed that arterialization of blood of the systemic circulation solely occurred in the right ventricle through blood shunting from the left into the right ventricle. Results of post mortem examination are presented., Conclusion: Complete transposition of the great arteries is a cyanotic congenital anomaly repeatedly reported in calves that should be considered as differential diagnosis in patients presenting with hypoxemia more severe than commonly encountered with other congenital cyanotic heart conditions. We give a comprehensive summary of the clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up and post mortem examination of a Belgian Blue cross-breed calf with complete transposition of the great arteries., (© 2011 Grünberg et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.)

A 5-month old female Red-Holstein calf in poor condition was presented with a history of reduced appetite, respiratory disease and collapse. Clinical examination revealed an elevated heart rate and pronounced cyanosis of the mucous membranes. Heart and lung auscultation were normal. A complete blood count revealed profound polycythemia with severely increased values for packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration and erythrocyte count. Cardiac ultrasonography revealed abnormal position of the great vessels with two arteries located in the right ventricle output tract and a high ventricular septum defect (VSD). Intracardial pressure and blood gas measurements confirmed pressure overload in the right heart, a left-to-right shunt through the VSD and a right-to-left-shunt leading to hypoxemia and secondary polycythemia. Based on poor prognosis, the animal was euthanized. Post-mortem examination confirmed the results of the further investigations conducted to determine the cause of polycythemia in this calf.

The clinical and echocardiographic findings in a 19-h-old female foal with a ventricular septal defect, patent foramen ovale, patent ductus arteriosus, and complete transpositon of the great vessels are described. Clinical signs were suggestive of complex congenital heart disease and echocardiography of the foal allowed definitive diagnosis prior to postmortem.

Double outlet right ventricle, a rare congenital heart anomaly of either animals or man, was diagnosed in a three day old Brangus heifer. The clinical course was brief, consisting of terminal recumbency, dyspnea and cyanosis. Upon necropsy, the heart was enlarged as a result of marked dilatation of the right atrium and the right ventricle. The aorta arose from the right ventricle while the left ventricle ended blindly near the ventral cusp of the left atrioventricular valve. The wall of the left ventricle was thickened, reducing the ventricular lumen.

The heart of a 6-week old Arabian filly with a history of poor health and exercise intolerance revealed at postmortem examination, multiple cardiac malformations which included atresia of the right atrioventricular orifice (tricuspid atresia, with associated atrial and ventricular septal defects), complete transposition of the great arteries, anomalous drainage of the venae cavae and coronary sinus into the left atrium, coarctation of the aorta, and a small but patent ductus arteriosus. The course of blood through the heart was suggested and discussed.

A four-month-old toy poodle bitch with growth retardation, coughing, decreased exercise tolerance and cyanotic mucous membranes had a systolic murmur and cardiomegaly. There was severe concentric hypertrophy of the right ventricle and both the aorta and pulmonic trunk originated from the left ventricle.

Transposition of the great arteries, a congenital cardiac disorder, was diagnosed in a 4-month-old domestic short-haired kitten. Angiography revealed a patent ductus arteriosis, with the pulmonary artery originating from the left ventricle and the aorta originating from the right ventricle. Blood gas analysis suggested a high ventricular septal defect. Necropsy confirmed the diagnosis.

In a case of double outlet right ventricle in a cat, initial examination revealed a holosystolic murmur and right-sided heart enlargement, as deduced from electrocardiography and thoracic radiography. On cardiac catheterization, it was determined that pressure in the right ventricle equaled that of the left ventricle. Angiography revealed a large ventricular septal defect, with prodominant left-to-right shunt and some right-to-left component. The cat lived for 3 1/2 years. During this period, the cat would become cyanotic only under stressful situations. At necropsy, the diagnosis was further refined to that of a double outlet right ventricle, as both the aorta and pulmonary artery originated from the right ventricle.