Atrioventricular septal defect in cat. Description of a case and the embryological features

The Atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) is a complex congenital heart disease made up of an anomalous development of the Atrioventricular (AV) junction, generating a unique AV orifice with a common AV valve. The AVSD is classified as complete form, partial form and intermediate type. In cats the disease is not so frequent and the literature is scarce of studies. In the first section of the paper clinical, instrumental and pathological findings of a partial form in an domestic shorthair cat are discussed. The second section describe the more updated knowledges dealing with the embryology of the defect.