Review Reports - Arterial Thromboembolism in a Seven-Month-Old Cat with Acute Myocardial Injury

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Refer to Reviewer report.pdf

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This is an interesting and clinically relevant case report describing a rare presentation of transient myocardial thickening associated with arterial thromboembolism in a young cat. The manuscript is well organized and supported by necropsy and histopathological findings, which significantly strengthen the diagnosis. The following minor revisions are suggested to improve clarity and scientific depth.

Abstract and Clinical Description

-At the first mention of paralysis, please specify the anatomical localization (e.g., pelvic limb paralysis/paraparesis) to improve clinical clarity.

Figures

-Figure 1:
The echocardiographic alterations are subtle and not immediately evident, particularly in Figure 1A. I recommend adding arrows or markers to better highlight the relevant abnormalities described in the text.

- Figures 3 and 4:
The figure titles and legends could be more descriptive. More explicit descriptions would improve interpretation of the images.

Discussion

The Discussion is generally well written and supported by current literature; however, some sections could be expanded:

- Lines 184–187:
The discussion on cardiac biomarkers is limited to troponins. Please expand this section to include other biomarkers commonly used in feline cardiology, particularly NT-proBNP, and discuss their potential utility in similar cases.

-Lines 251–258:
Please provide a broader discussion regarding feline arterial thromboembolism, including: etiopathogenesis, thrombus formation mechanisms, and known risk factors and prognostic indicators.

- Lines 264–266:
The absence of previous cardiologic evaluation prior to castration should be acknowledged more explicitly as a study limitation.

In this context, please clarify:

-whether pre-anesthetic cardiac screening was performed before castration, and

- whether pre-existing cardiac abnormalities had been previously excluded.

This information is clinically relevant considering the temporal association between anesthesia and disease onset.