Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a Persian cat

Abstract

Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis (PCH) and pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD) are rare causes of primary pulmonary hypertension in humans, and, in 2016, were reported in dogs. A 1-y-old, neutered male Persian cat was presented for autopsy after sudden death several hours after grooming. Grossly, the lungs were mottled red-to-pink, contained rubbery-to-firm nodular foci, and there was moderate-to-marked left-sided cardiomegaly and left atrial dilation, consistent with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Microscopically, there was multifocal to regionally extensive capillary proliferation within pulmonary alveolar septa and around respiratory bronchioles, with nodular aggregates of densely arranged capillaries that replaced pulmonary alveolar spaces. Rare occlusive venous remodeling was identified in Verhoeff–van Gieson-stained sections. The gross and microscopic changes were consistent with PCH with rare features of PVOD. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was interpreted as potentially contributing to the cause of death, but unrelated to the pulmonary vascular proliferation.