Ventricular septal defect in a houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii)

A ventricular septal defect was found in a juvenile captive-bred houbara bu stard (Chlamydotis undulata) that died suddenly. The case history indicated that the bird had a retarded growth and maturation rate. Gross pathology d emonstrated massive internal hemorrhage, an enlarged heart with an interven tricular septal defect, one shrunken liver lobe, and hypoplastic kidneys. H istologically, the liver was characterized by fatty degeneration, and there was hydropic degeneration of the cardiac muscle fibers. We suggest that th e occurrence of this defect led to cardiac insufficiency, which resulted in sudden death caused by hemorrhage from the liver.