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Aortic stenosis (or a narrowing involving the aortic valve) is a less common heart disease that has a higher incidence in some breeds. Dogs may not show clinical signs if they are mildly affected to more severely affected patients showing signs of heart dysfunction. Diagnostic imaging is needed to determine the severity and prognosis for each individual patient. Medications are the mainstay treatment but for some patients surgical procedures may be considered.
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Aortic stenosis is a heart disease that is present at birth. Cats affected with aortic stenosis have a narrowing at the aortic valve of the heart. The clinical signs of aortic stenosis vary depending on how severe the stenosis is; some cats remain asymptomatic throughout their life, while other cats begin showing clinical signs at an early age and can experience sudden death. The treatment of aortic stenosis depends upon the severity of the condition.
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A heart murmur is an abnormal sound that originates from the heart valves and can be heard with a stethoscope skillfully placed over the heart valves.
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Pulmonary hypertension means that the peak blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs is much higher than normal. Several abnormalities can lead to high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs and many of the underlying reasons involve the heart. There are many signs of pulmonary hypertension including exercise intolerance, difficulty breathing with or without exertion/exercise, rapid breathing, coughing, spitting up blood from the lungs, fainting, and more. There are many potential causes of pulmonary hypertension. Several medications are available to treat your cat. Activity may need to be restricted. It is essential to monitor cats with pulmonary hypertension for worsening of clinical signs. Periodic physical examinations, blood pressure monitoring, and ultrasound evaluations of the heart are also important. The long-term prognosis is very guarded for cats with pulmonary hypertension.
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Pulmonary hypertension means that the peak blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs is much higher than normal. Several abnormalities can lead to high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs and many of the underlying reasons involve the heart. There are many signs of pulmonary hypertension including exercise intolerance, difficulty breathing with or without exertion/exercise, rapid breathing, coughing, spitting up blood from the lungs, fainting, and more. There are many potential causes of pulmonary hypertension. Several medications are available to treat your dog. It is important to maintain a low-stress environment while any underlying cardiac or respiratory disease is treated and managed. Activity may need to be restricted. It is essential to monitor dogs with pulmonary hypertension for worsening of clinical signs. Periodic physical examinations, blood pressure monitoring, and ultrasound evaluations of the heart will also be important. The long-term prognosis is very guarded for dogs with pulmonary hypertension.
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Though less common than in dogs, some heart conditions in cats are serious and need to be treated medically. The most common type of heart disease in cats is adult-onset hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The most common types of congenital heart disease are malformations of a valve, or a septal defect in the wall that divides the right and left sides of the heart. Diagnosis involves X-rays, ECG, and echocardiography. Treatment depends on the cause of the heart disease.
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This handout discusses what a heart murmur is, how it is detected, what recommended tests are advised to determine the underlying cause, and potential treatments or monitoring that should be undertaken when a murmur is detected in your cat.
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Cyanosis is a bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes of the body caused by inadequate oxygen levels. Cyanosis is an emergency, and the root cause may be life-threatening and may or may not be reversible. Once back home, homecare instructions must be followed carefully.
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Cyanosis is a bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes of the body caused by inadequate oxygen levels. Cyanosis is an emergency, and the root cause may be life-threatening and may or may not be reversible. Once back home, homecare instructions must be followed carefully.
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Cardiomyopathy is a term used to describe diseases of the heart muscle. In cats, three classes of cardiomyopathy have been described: hypertrophic, dilated, and intermediate or restrictive cardiomyopathy. In the early stages of disease, the cat may not show any signs. Heart disease can be suspected based on clinical signs, chest X-rays, and electrocardiography (ECG). The long-term prognosis for a cat with cardiomyopathy is variable, and depends on the cause of disease.