In a first for Thailand, vets from the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Chulalongkorn University have successfully fitted a pacemaker for Pepsi, an 8-year-old cat.
As reported by DVM360, Pepsi was experiencing up to four fainting spells a day due to a severe cardiac arrhythmia.
A complex, life-saving procedure
The medical team decided to open her chest cavity to access her heart. A pacing lead was then placed on the surface of the heart and connected to a small generator implanted under her abdominal muscles. The complex operation took an hour.
Surprisingly, the pacemaker used for Pepsi is the same type as those used for humans, only smaller in size.
A remarkable recovery
The procedure was a complete success, and the cat recovered very quickly from the surgery. She no longer has fainting spells, interacts with her owner and the other cats in the house, and is eating normally.
She now visits the hospital every three months for follow-up appointments.
