Download Heart Disease

Heart Disease - Cats
Over view of the heart:
The heart is a pump that is responsible for moving blood throughout the body. The blood
distributes nutrients and oxygen to the cells of the body and removes waste products. The
heart has four chambers - 2 atria and 2 ventricles. Blood flows into the right side to the
lungs, then back into the left side and out to the body. Each chamber is protected by a
valve that controls the blood flow into and out of that chamber. As the heart beats, blood
is forced from one chamber to the other and the
valves open and close.
A cat heart normally has two beats that can be heard
with a stethoscope- a lub dub sound. The rate of the
heart can be quite fast in a nervous cat, but the
rhythm should be regular.
Is Heart Disease common in the cat?
In cats, heart disease is often a “silent” disease,
which means here are no symptoms and can go
undiagnosed until it is too late. The rate of heart
disease in cats is unknown, but is thought to be
present in 15% of our cats. It can occur at any age, but often affects the middle aged cats.
Are Certain Breeds more prone to heart disease?
Heart disease can affect all types of cats, including domestic shorthair and longhair
varieties, however pure bred cats such at Maine Coon, Persian, Siamese, Sphynx and
Ragdolls are especially prone to this disease.
How is a heart problem diagnosed?
We recommend twice yearly wellness exams including a thorough physical exam and
once yearly blood work. Listening to your cat’s heart and lungs with a stethoscope can
help identify any heart related problems such as:
Gallop rhythm
Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
Abnormal heart sounds (heart murmur)
Based on your cat’s exam and Blood test results, more involved tests may be needed to
determine if you cat is at risk for heart disease. These include:
Blood and Urine tests - can be used to screen for thyroid disease, organ
dysfunction and anemia.
Blood pressure - screen for high blood pressure
Radiographs - evaluate heart shape and size
EKG - looks at the electrical activity of the heart. Used if abnormal rhythm
Echocardiogram - ultrasound of the heart that looks at chamber size, wall
thickness and valve function. This is the gold “standard” for diagnosing the
presence and cause of heart disease.
Blood test for pro BNP - an enzyme released by damaged heart muscle. Used as a
screening test to see if further work up is warranted
Maine Coon cats have a genetic test available
How does heart disease affect cats?
Cats most often develop a disease of the heart muscle called a cardiomyopathy There are
three classes of heart muscle disease:
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - thickening of the heart muscle
Dilated Cardiomyopathy - muscle become thin and heart becomes large.
Restricted or Unclassified cardiomyopathy - less understood.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is the most common heart disease in cats and is best
diagnosed with an echocardiogram.
What are the signs of heart disease?
Cats with heart disease are at risk of congestive heart failure, blood clots (stroke like
signs) and arrhythmias (Irregular heart beats).
Therefore, signs of heart disease in the cat include lethargy, weight loss, decreased
appetite, increased breathing effort or rate (due to fluid accumulating in the lungs),
collapse, and occasionally acute paralysis of the back or front legs (blood clots).
Sudden death at home or during an anesthesia procedure is a very unfortunate but
common presentation.
Early detection and treatment can make a significant difference in the quality and length
of you cat’s life - emphasizing the importance of wellness exams and blood screens. If
heart disease is suspected in your cat, a cardiology consult is advised to discuss further
testing, review signs and causes of heart disease and develop a plan for monitoring for
progression of heart disease is advised. Some baseline tests such as a chest radiograph
and blood tests may be recommended at the initial visit. The results of these tests will be
reviewed at the consult and an individual plan for your cat will be outlined.