Diagnosis and treatment of congestive heart failure secondary to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a kinkajou (Potos flavus).

ABSTRACT

An adult castrated male pet kinkajou (Potos flavus) presented with dyspnea due to congestive heart failure and was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and suspected pulmonary arterial hypertension. Diagnosis was based on history, clinical signs, clinical pathology, radiographs, abdominal ultrasonography, abdominal fluid analysis, electrocardiography, and echocardiogram. An undetermined hepatopathy also was found at presentation and resolved after metronidazole antimicrobial treatment. Cardiopulmonary medical treatment, including a loop diuretic, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, a beta-adrenergic receptor blocker, and a bronchodilator provided improvement of the clinical signs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of antemortem diagnosis and treatment of congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy in a member of the family Procyonidae, suggesting that HCM should be considered as a differential diagnosis in kinkajous displaying clinical signs of dyspnea and exercise intolerance.