The Evaluation and Management of Idiopathic Chylopericardium in a Cat: A Case Report

Chylopericardium is rare in cats.Here, we report the case of a 5-year-old female cat, a domestic short-haired breed, who presented with difficulty breathing, loss of appetite and lethargy at the Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Nongpho campus, Thailand.Thoracic radiography revealed a globoid-shaped cardiac silhouette, while electrocardiography demonstrated electrical alternans.Echocardiography also revealed an effusion of fluid in the pericardial sac.Cytological analysis of the pericardial fluid proved the diagnosis of chylopericardium.The cat was treated conservatively with pericardiocentesis, antibiotics and supportive care, leading to clinical improvement within one week.