Fusi Jasmine, Bagardi Mara, Bassi Jessica, Ferrari Francesco, Veronesi Maria Cristina
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
JFMS Open Rep. 2024 Sep 26;10(2):20551169241273665. doi: 10.1177/20551169241273665. eCollection 2024 Jul-Dec.
Two 18-day-old domestic shorthair kittens presented with dyspnoea, mild cyanosis, heart murmur, lung pattern, abnormal crawling and a marked dorsoventral flattening of the thorax. Deformity of the thoracic wall without pectus excavatum was diagnosed. Cardboard corsets tailored to each kitten were applied. This gave immediate respiratory relief, easing distress and pain. After 10 days, clinical and radiographic monitoring revealed normalisation of the shape of the chest wall with an improvement in general condition. At 6 months of age, clinical examination showed normal growth and development of both kittens, with a normal thoracic profile and shape also seen on radiographs. Data about flat-chested kitten syndrome and its aetiopathogenesis, treatment and outcome are scarce, but there is significant experience among breeders that is shared through online communities. High mortality rates are reported. The use of a cardboard splint appears to be novel in the published literature; in this case report, it proved to be a rapid and easy solution. For this reason, cardboard splints could be considered as a first approach for the clinical management of flat-chested kitten syndrome.
两只18日龄的家养短毛小猫出现呼吸困难、轻度发绀、心脏杂音、肺部影像、异常爬行以及胸廓明显的背腹扁平。诊断为无漏斗胸的胸壁畸形。为每只小猫量身定制了硬纸板胸衣。这立即缓解了呼吸问题，减轻了痛苦。10天后，临床和影像学监测显示胸壁形状恢复正常，总体状况有所改善。在6个月大时，临床检查显示两只小猫生长发育正常，X光片上胸廓轮廓和形状也正常。关于扁平胸小猫综合征及其病因、治疗和结果的数据很少，但育种者通过在线社区分享了大量经验。据报道死亡率很高。在已发表的文献中，使用硬纸板夹板似乎是新颖的；在本病例报告中，它被证明是一种快速且简便的解决方案。因此，硬纸板夹板可被视为扁平胸小猫综合征临床管理的首选方法。
