When to seek veterinary care for a cat with heart disease?
Like all acquired heart diseases, HCM generally affects middle-aged and senior cats, but any time you observe symptoms in your cat regardless of age, seek veterinary care immediately.
Are there any symptoms of heart disease in cats?
Unfortunately, cats in the early stages of cardiomyopathy – and many other feline heart disorders – often do not present any symptoms. Further complicating matters, most cats mask pain very well. The more you learn about heart disease in cats now, the better you can care for your favorite kitty companion throughout their life.
Can a cat have a hole in the heart?
Congenital disorders are present at birth and include defects such as heart valve malformations and holes in the heart. These conditions are extremely rare. As the term implies, acquired disorders develop over a cat’s lifespan.
Which is the leading cause of heart disease in cats?
But the leading cause is HCM. In this instance, the ventricle walls become so thick that the heart’s functions are severely compromised. This results in a buildup of fluid in the left atrium, which forces fluid back into the lungs. Just like with people, heart disease in cats can be the “silent killer.”
Can a cat be diagnosed with heart disease?
Although exceedingly important, physical examination alone cannot be used to rule in or rule out heart disease in cats. A murmur is an important indicator of heart disease; however, cardiac auscultation alone can be misleading in the diagnosis of feline cardiac disease.
How can you tell if your cat has congestive heart failure?
In the early stages of congestive heart failure, cats might show no signs at all. As the disease progresses, signs can include: Congestive heart failure is usually diagnosed based on symptoms and physical examination findings, in which fluid in the lungs causes them to sound congested when your veterinarian listens with a stethoscope.
Can a cat have heart disease without a murmur?
Murmurs can be auscultated in cats with and without underlying heart disease, and up to half of all feline murmurs are found in cats without primary cardiac disease. 1 Conversely, cats can exhibit heart disease, potentially severe, without a murmur.
Congenital disorders are present at birth and include defects such as heart valve malformations and holes in the heart. These conditions are extremely rare. As the term implies, acquired disorders develop over a cat’s lifespan.
