Idiopathic rupture thoracic duct in a cat: Case report

Abstract

The idiopathic thoracic duct rupture is rare accurrence in veterinary medicine. This report describes the female feline admission, 5 years old, in the emergency room and intensive care of the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Minas Gerais studying with dyspnea, chest muffled sounds, and large volume of chylous aspect of liquid after thoracic puncture. The rapid collection of pleural fluid after puncture, along with the laboratory aspect of effusion, suspected to break the idiopathic thoracic duct, considering that the patient had no history of trauma, nor access to the street. After thoracotomy, there was a complete rupture of the thoracic duct, the height of the ninth thoracic vertebra, on which a ligature was performed. The patient developed satisfactorily, being discharged ten days after the surgical procedure. We conclude that the rupture of the thoracic duct has a major change in the patient's physiology, requiring preparation of the veterinarian because it is an emergency situation by major systemic changes that cause.