Salmonella typhimurium Endocarditis and Myocarditis in a Cat

An 8-month-old neutered male outdoor cat was brought to our surgical center for a sudden onset of diarrhea, pyrexia, and lethargy. Physical examination revealed a loud le† parasternal systolic murmur with no thrill. An echocardiogram showed a large hyperechoic vegetation (about 9mm thick) on the aortic valve lea‰ets. e results of Doppler ultrasound examination were compatible with severe aortic stenosis. A singular urine culture test performed by cystocentesis samples enabled the isolation of more than 105 CFU/ml in a pure culture of Salmonella typhimurium. Enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes and moderate dilatation of small bowel loops were found on abdominal ultrasound examination. e patient was treated with marbo‰oxacin (2 mg/kg IM every 24 hours), cefazoline (20 mg/kg SC every 12 hours), metronidazole (10 mg/Kg IV every 12 hours), clopidogrel (18.75 mg PO every 24 hours), atenolol (0.5 mg/kg OS every 12 hours), and ‰uid therapy (ringer acetate 2.5 ml/kg/h), but a†er three days in hospital the patient died from presumed septic shock. A urine culture revealed that Salmonella typhimurium was sensitive to third generation cephalosporins but not to ‰uoroquinolones. Necropsy, histologic examinations, culture of the aortic valve, and PCR analysis of the aortic valve lea‰ets were eventually performed and Salmonella typhimurium endocarditis with myocardial phlegmon was conœrmed. Endocarditis is a rare disease in cats and poorly described in the veterinary literature. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the œrst report of Salmonella typhimurium endocarditis and myocarditis in a cat.