What Is the Anterior Vena Cava in Animals?

Much of the time, human anatomy and animal anatomy are very much alike. This is the case when it comes to the heart and the arteries and pathways running to and from the heart. Most air-breathing mammals̵7; hearts have two large veins that feed into them, one of these veins being the anterior vena cava.

  1. Location

    • The anterior vena cava is located in the middle of the chest. It runs to the right side of the heart, specifically behind the breastbone.

    Purpose

    • The anterior vena cava brings used blood from the upper part of the body to the heart ̵2; that is, it brings the blood that has circulated through the upper body and has been depleted of oxygen. The anterior vena cava feeds this blood back into the heart so it can be pumped into the lungs. The path through the lungs replaces oxygen back into the blood so it can circulate throug the hbody again.

    Medical Concerns

    • Abnormalities of the vena cava can cause various conditions and diseases of the heart. An arteriovenous fistula may form, which can cause congestive heart failure. This is essentially an abnormality in the connection of arteries feeding into the anterior vena cava or the vena cava feeding into the heart itself. Obstructions of the vena cava can occur, too, either by blood clots, plaque or inflamed blood vessels. The result of such blockage can be any one of a number of heart diseases.

    Treatments

    • The treatment that a veterinarian will order for a pet that is suffering the effects of an anterior vena cava abnormality is dependent upon the cause of the condition. Blockages will be treated with blood thinners or other medications to reduce or dissolve the obstruction, while a fistula will require treatment through surgery, possibly multiple surgeries, depending on the exact location of the abnormality and the extent of damage done by the condition.