Karanasiou A. DVM, Plakentia Veterinary Clinic, Athens, Greece | Iliadis P. DVM, Plakentia Veterinary Clinic, Athens, Greece | Chatzistylianou M. DVM, Postgraduate Diploma in Veterinary Clinical Pathology ENVT (Diplôme d’Ecole), Plakentia Veterinary Clinic, Athens, Greece | Karra K. E. DVM, GPCert(DI) ISVPS, Plakentia Veterinary Clinic, Athens, Greece
Introduction
The aim of the study was to describe a clinical case of embolism in a cat with primary lung neoplasia and metastasis to the hindlimb (Feline Lung-Digit Syndrome) without underlying cardiac disease.
Clinical case
A 6-year-old female cat presented with sudden paralysis of the left hindlimb and forelimb. Despite previous treatment for hindlimb lameness, the cat presented with clinical signs of hypothermia, mild tachypnea, and left hindlimb and forelimb arterial thromboembolism. Diagnostic imaging revealed a solitary circumscribed pulmonary mass, osteolysis of the phalanx of the second digit and an aortic thrombus via ultrasound. Echocardiography was unremarkable and an fine-needle aspiration from the digit lesion demonstrated multiple cytological features of malignancy, including well-differentiated respiratory epithelial cells, suggestive of metastatic pulmonary neoplasia.
Results
The patient died, after a brief hospitalization with supportive care.
Conclusions
This case emphasizes the importance of investigating underlying neoplasia in cases of arterial thromboembolism, especially when no evidence of underlying cardiac disease is present.
