SURGICAL REMOVAL OF HEARTWORMS FROM A CAT WITH CAVAL SYNDROME

Caval syndrome was diagnosed in a 4-year-old male domestic shorthair c at with severe dyspnea attributable to chylothorax. The diagnosis of h eartworm infection was made on the basis of the ultrasonographic detec tion of a large number of adult heartworms in the right side of the he art and positive results for modified Knott's and heartworm antigen te sts. Heartworms were surgically removed through an incision in the jug ular vein, using a string-type horsehair brush and an alligator forcep s. All clinical signs resolved after the surgery. Although treatment w ith agents that would kill the adult heartworms was considered, surgic al treatment was used on the cat reported here. Surgical treatment may be the method of choice for use in cats with severe or persistent cli nical signs attributable to infections with large numbers of heartworm s.