Heart disease in cats. cardiomyopathy. HCM and DCM what are they? Pathophysiology and diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in cats

Cardiovascular disease is quite rare in cats. Unfortunately, sometimes this does happen. Moreover, if we talk about such diseases in cats, then this is most likely cardiomyopathy. Other diseases are even less common. That is why, if you have this furry pet at home, it is very important to know the main symptoms of cardiomyopathy in cats, as well as the causes of the disease and methods of treatment.

What is cardiomyopathy and what can it be like?

To begin with, cardiomyopathy is a disease affecting the hearts of cats. The organ that pumps blood throughout the body cannot contract normally. Consequently, the volume of oxygen supplied to the organs is significantly reduced, which leads to the most various diseases, including myocardial damage, and in some cases, the death of the cat.

Doctors distinguish several types of cardiomyopathy. Let's list them:

Hypertrophic occurs due to an increase in the thickness of the walls of the heart. Because of this, the “pump” holds less blood - as a result, vital important organs don't get enough oxygen. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats is more common than other types of the disease.
Dilatational– in this case, the volume of the heart increases noticeably, while the thickness of its walls remains the same. Over time, the organ can no longer contract normally, which becomes the cause oxygen starvation liver, brain and whole body.
Restrictive is the cause of cardiac fibrosis. At the same time, the muscle becomes harder and can no longer fully contract, which leads to a sharp reduction in life span - usually cats with this diagnosis rarely live longer than two years.

As you can see, the disease can come to unfortunate cats in the most different types. But what can cause the development of cardiomyopathy? Let's look at this in more detail.

Why does the disease appear?

Unfortunately, even the best veterinarians in the world cannot definitively answer this question. But many believe that this disease is a consequence of other abnormalities. Indeed, most often with cardiomyopathy, changes in the heart occur for various reasons.

For example, this may be due to working too hard thyroid gland. It also often occurs due to high blood pressure. The pathology can also be congenital. For example, the so-called “Bull’s heart” is often found. The kitten is already born with an enlarged heart. In young individuals, excellent health can partially compensate for deviations from the norm. Alas, over the years the cat feels worse and worse - cardiomyopathy takes its toll and such individuals live relatively short.

Finally, the cause may be a malignant formation. Typically, such a disease does not end well; treatment most often does not alleviate the animal’s suffering.

How to identify cardiomyopathy in cats?

In order not to miss time and promptly contact veterinarians who can diagnose cardiomyopathy in cats and prescribe appropriate treatment, you need to know the symptoms characteristic of the disease.

Unfortunately, usually signs of cardiomyopathy appear only after the heart muscle has passed irreversible changes. Because of this, it is usually not possible to get rid of the disease, restoring the joy of life to the cat and its owner. But in any case, you should take the help of professionals, if you notice your pet following symptoms illnesses:

Shortness of breath that occurs with minor exertion and even at rest.
Continuous vomiting.
Attacks of suffocation.
General weakness that does not stop for weeks.
A drop in body temperature below 37 degrees Celsius.
Loss of consciousness with thready pulse and shallow breathing.

What can a veterinarian do?

As stated above, even the best doctors usually cannot truly effective treatment cardiomyopathy. The only thing they can do is subject the cat to procedures that will allow them to collect more information about the disease and give the owner recommendations that will make the animal’s life easier, giving them a few extra months or even years of life.

An x-ray is required chest. This usually makes it possible to identify the pathology of the development of the heart chambers.

Electrocardiography is also often used. It makes it possible to determine tachycardia and arrhythmia - very often it is at this stage that the diagnosis of CGMP is made.

Ultrasound of the heart is not always used, but it is thanks to this method that the most information about the form of the deviation can be collected. For example, you can determine how thick the myocardial wall is, whether there are blood clots in the arteries, and also determine the amount of blood flow.

Those cats that are predisposed to cardiomyopathy should be examined with the utmost care. This includes not only individual individuals, but also entire breeds, among which heart disease is common.

Is there anything that can be done?

Many cat owners, upon hearing such a diagnosis, perceive it as a death sentence. Unfortunately, in some cases they actually have every reason to do so. However, this is not always the case. The main thing is to know what to do if your cat has cardiomyopathy.

As practice shows, if a cat receives appropriate treatment, it may well live for quite a long time.

First of all good doctor prescribe for a sick animal drug treatment :

Diuretics. They are an auxiliary drug that allows you to avoid stagnation, and therefore pleural effusions and pulmonary edema.
ACE inhibitors will be needed to reduce high blood pressure and relieve heart failure.
A calcium channel blocker will reduce your heart rate by helping to relax the overdeveloped myocardial wall. In some cases, the heart is even partially restored.
Beta blockers help prevent arrhythmia and related complications.

Proper nutrition

It is very important. On the one hand, when cats receive a properly formulated diet, they are less likely to suffer from cardiomyopathy. On the other hand, when identifying dangerous disease Proper nutrition can reduce illness.

Let's start with prevention

Your cat's diet should contain sufficient amounts of taurine. This supports the body under significant stress. It is no coincidence that all athletes adhere to a special high-taurine diet during intense training. It is found in beef, rabbit meat, cod, squid, and turkey.

At the same time, the food should not be too fatty - deposits on the heart can kill even a healthy cat without any cardiomyopathy in a short time.

If the sad diagnosis has already been made, then it can be recommended to prescribe the cat a salt-free diet. Thanks to this, it reduces arterial pressure and, as a result, the load on the heart. Of course, you shouldn’t forget about taurine in this case either.

As you can see, cardiomyopathy is a very insidious and dangerous disease. However proper care and monitoring by a veterinarian in most cases can reduce the risk of disease to a minimum. Yes, it's quite troublesome. But the cat’s health and the joy it will give you are priceless.

veterinarian,
cardiologist at the clinic White Fang» — Mitino

The most common heart disease in cats is something called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This is a pathology of the heart, accompanied by severe thickening of the heart muscle (myocardium) and leading to the development of heart failure, up to fatal outcome.

A distinctive feature of this disease is the insidious development of symptoms and the difficulty in treating late stages.

Heredity is to blame

The causes of the development of this disease have not yet been sufficiently studied, however, a number of studies have identified genetically inherited abnormalities that can lead to the development of HCM. It has been proven that representatives of the following breeds are especially predisposed to this pathology: Maine Coon, Ragdoll, Sphynx, British and American Shorthair, Scottish Fold, Norwegian forest cats and perhaps some others.

The mechanisms of inheritance of this disease have not yet been fully studied, but it has been proven that, for example, in the Maine Coon breed, HCM is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. At the same time, special tests (blood tests) are even common abroad to determine whether cats of this breed have corresponding deviations in the genotype. In Britain, for example, one in three Maine Coons are positive for HCM.

Hidden Killer

The mechanism of development of this pathology is that as the heart muscle thickens, the volume of the left ventricle decreases, as a result of which the volume of blood pumped through it decreases. Congestion develops, leading first to an enlargement of the left atrium, pulmonary veins, and then, in later stages, to the development of pulmonary edema and/or hydrothorax (accumulation of free fluid in the pleural cavity). Moreover, the insidiousness of this disease lies in the fact that the first symptom may be pulmonary edema and/or death. In some cases, symptoms such as shortness of breath (breathing with an open mouth) and poor exercise tolerance may appear in the early stages.

One of the most frequent complications HCM, which sometimes manifests itself against the background of the cat’s absolute visible well-being, is thromboembolism. Enlargement of the left atrium and stagnation of blood leads to an increased risk of blood clots, which in turn lead to blockage of vital vessels and sometimes death, especially if seeking veterinary help is delayed. Most often, blockage occurs at the level of the femoral arteries, in which case the first symptom will be sudden paralysis of the pelvic limbs and severe pain syndrome— the cat screams and doesn’t get up hind legs. In such cases, the count is in hours, if not minutes. The sooner the patient is admitted to specialized clinic, the greater the chance of restoring blood flow and minimizing the risk of complications.

Early diagnosis of the disease and its importance

Considering all of the above, it is extremely important timely diagnosis. The sooner the doctor begins treatment, the longer the patient can live and the lower the risk of developing adverse complications.

The most precise method Diagnosis of HCM is ECHO-cardiography - ultrasonography heart by a cardiologist. However, in some cases it is also important additional conduct chest radiography and electrocardiography.

During ultrasound examination The doctor carries out a series of measurements and calculations, obtaining clear objective data, based on which a conclusion is made whether the patient has a pathology or not, whether there is a risk of its development in the future.

Moreover, given the increased risks, it is especially important for representatives of the breeds described above to undergo such an examination. Evidence of the particular importance of this problem is, for example, the fact that in countries Western Europe It is legally prohibited to use cats of risk group breeds for breeding or sale that do not undergo regular examinations by a cardiologist for the presence of HCM-screening tests. Based on the results of such tests (ECHO-CG), the cat is issued a certificate confirming the absence of signs dangerous pathology. Similar tests with issuance of a certificate for English language are also carried out in our clinic. The results of such tests are recognized by foreign colleagues. As a rule, such examinations of breeding cats are carried out annually, starting from the second year of life.

In addition, if you are the owner of a cat of one of the risk group breeds or have sometimes noticed the symptoms described above in your pet (no matter what breed) and are going to undergo general anesthesia (for example, for castration or sterilization), it is highly advisable to be examined by a cardiologist to ensure your pet does not have HCM. Unfortunately, cases of serious complications (including pulmonary edema and death) are not uncommon in postoperative period(the first 2 weeks after anesthesia) in patients with a latent form of HCM.

Treatment of HCM

If the doctor nevertheless detects HCM in the patient, do not despair. There are modern effective treatment regimens for this disease, especially effective in detecting the disease on early stage. The drug of choice for such patients is, first of all, drugs from the beta-blocker group; drugs for the prevention of thromboembolism, diuretics, and blockers are also prescribed, if necessary. calcium channels, ACEI, etc. However, it is important to remember that treatment should be prescribed by the attending doctor based on examination data; you should not self-medicate and get carried away “ folk remedies" Taking medications must be permanent; the patient must show up for scheduled follow-up examinations and not interrupt the prescribed treatment regimen.

HCM and breeding

It is extremely important to understand that if a cat is diagnosed with HCM, it is necessary to immediately remove it from breeding plans and check the entire line to avoid further spread of the pathology.

Our clinic has accumulated extensive experience in diagnosing and treating patients diagnosed with HCM. We have everything at our disposal necessary equipment and specialists who will help you with early diagnosis and treatment of this serious disease.

The heart of four-legged pets suffers from various diseases just like humans. Among the known ailments of cardio-vascular system animals - HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). In cats, this pathology is dangerous due to severe, sometimes incompatible with life, complications. The article is devoted detailed review illness and methods of its treatment.

HCM in cats: symptoms, treatment

Pathologies occur both congenital and acquired. All existing diseases classified according to location and cause of occurrence:

Among these problems, cardiomyopathy develops most often in cats.

Cardiomyopathy: etiology and pathogenesis

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy cats (HCM) is a pathology accompanied by hardening of the walls of the ventricle. As the disease develops, the volume of the heart chambers is significantly reduced, subsequently provoking heart failure. Timely treatment helps prevent death, but with an advanced form of the disease the prognosis is unfavorable. The disease mainly manifests itself early in the pet's life - at the age of 6 months.

HCM is considered a relatively new disease. Research into this pathology was actively carried out at the beginning of the last decade in the USA.

Scientists have concluded that the breeds most susceptible to the disease are Ragdoll, Norwegian Forest, Persian and Maine Coon. Transmission of the disease at the genetic level has been confirmed. Most often the disease is observed in males.

Among such mass-bred breeds as Siberian and Russian Blue hereditary predisposition not found. Representatives of these varieties suffer from secondary forms of pathology.

What happens to the heart with HCM?

The clinical picture of a typical cardiomyopathy is characterized by the following manifestations:

Reduction in the size of the left ventricle, which can lead to a decrease in the amount of blood supplied. In addition, the mobility of the walls decreases. This leads to the release of blood into the vessels of the lungs.
As the disease progresses, the left atrium enlarges. The resulting blood clots contribute to impaired hemostasis, leading to paralysis of the hind limbs.
Further, the mitral valve is involved in the pathological process. As a result of a change in its location, an obstruction occurs in the exit of blood into the aorta. This hitch in the blood flow is accompanied by a systolic murmur.
Myocardial compaction causes blood stagnation in the atria and malfunction of the atrioventricular valve. As a result, aortic obstruction and circulatory deficiency are noted.

Types of HCM

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy furry pets is divided into 2 types: primary and secondary. The origin of the first type, which occurs in obstructive and non-obstructive forms, is currently under study. The second (acquired) develops under the influence of another disease.

Table 1. Types of HCM in cats

Type	Characteristic
Obstructive	Due to the expansion of the myocardium, the pressure in the left ventricle increases, which increases the rate of blood flow into the aorta. As a result, the bicuspid valve leaf opens and closes involuntarily
Non-obstructive	The mechanism of manifestation of the pathology is identical to the previous one, except that high blood flow speed does not affect the functioning of the valve
Acquired	It is provoked by existing diseases and age-related transformations, accompanied by mutations in the structure of the myocardium. Pathologies act as provoking factors infectious nature, malfunctions endocrine system, trauma and toxins

The primary type of the disease, which is characterized by genetic origin, manifests itself before 5 years. The secondary form occurs mainly in older cats after 7 years.

Possible complications

The progression of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy affects all parts of the heart and the circulatory system as a whole. This occurs due to the overcrowding of the lung vessels with blood. Due to slow blood circulation in the cat's heart chambers, blood clots form.

Symptoms of the disease

The main manifestations of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are poor exercise tolerance and shortness of breath. If the disease is asymptomatic, there is a high probability of death due to thromboembolism, which develops as a result of pulmonary edema.

The main signs of HCM are the following symptoms:

Physical state. An exhausted animal loses interest in active games and sleeps a lot.
Breath. Severe, accompanied by wheezing and gurgling. Under heavy load, the pet experiences difficulty in inhaling. This is caused by slowing down the movement of blood in the veins. The cat breathes with its belly, sticking out its tongue.
Dyspnea. Attacks of suffocation often lead to fainting as a result of lack of oxygen.
Character of the pulse. Filiform.
Condition of mucous membranes. Due to oxygen starvation, the shells acquire a blue tint.
Cough. Reflex, caused by excessive pressure of an enlarged heart on the trachea. To cope with an attack, the cat sticks out its neck, spreading its forelimbs for greater ventilation.
Hydrothorax and ascites. The release of exudate contributes to the formation of swelling in the peritoneum and chest.
Paralysis of the hind limbs. If a blood clot blocks the lumen in the vessels, the animal’s legs in the pelvic area fail.
Body mass . Poor weight gain.
Heart murmurs and tachycardia.

Reasons for the development of the disease

The main cause of the disease is considered to be a gene mutation. The pathology is inherited among some cat breeds. American experts concluded that the gene responsible for myosin binding protein is to blame. Maine Coons and Ragdolls are predominantly affected by this gene mutation. It has been proven that more than 10 genes are involved in the development of the disease.

In addition to breed predisposition, a number of other reasons influence the development of cardiomyopathy.

The difficulty of detection is caused by the hidden nature of the pathology. Malfunctions in the functioning of the organ can be detected by listening to heart murmurs. In the presence of HCM, they resemble a gallop.

An echocardiogram is considered the most informative way to diagnose HCM

Basic methods:

Anamnesis collection. The owner must describe the pet's condition in detail. Any deviation in behavior may signal the development of the disease.
Echocardiography is the most accurate diagnostic method. It makes it possible to thoroughly study the structure of the heart muscle. Each cat that is at risk by breed should be examined at least once a year. Before surgical intervention patients who anticipate the use of anesthesia should also be tested for the presence of HCM.
Electrocardiography. This survey is not informative enough. It can be used to detect tachycardia, ventricular arrhythmia and widening of the QRS interval. However, as independent method not used for diagnosing pathology.
X-ray diagnostics. The shape and size of the heart muscle, as well as the presence of fluid in the pleural cavity, are assessed.
Auscultation. Listening allows you to identify extraneous noise and evaluate your heart rhythm.
Pressure measurement. With HCM, blood pressure will be elevated.
Visual assessment. Blue discoloration of the mucous membranes indicates a malfunction of the heart muscle.

If the animal has a severe form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, hardware examinations are not performed. Any manipulation has a negative impact on emotional state pet and increases the manifestation of unpleasant symptoms.

Treatment of the disease

The developed treatment regimens for pathology do not make it possible to completely overcome the disease. The main emphasis is on symptomatic therapy. In severe cases, in addition to drug effects, special equipment is used.

Hospital treatment

The duration of stay in the clinic is 3 days. Any hardware intervention is carried out as carefully as possible in relation to the animal. Basic procedures:

To stabilize the condition, the animal is placed in an oxygen box, which is a chamber with a constant supply of oxygen.
After you feel better, if necessary, the fluid accumulated in the pleura is removed (thoracentesis). This helps ease the breathing process.

While in the clinic, owners are allowed to visit their pets. Such visits speed up the healing process.

Drug treatment

Therapy is based on stabilization heart rate, preventing the formation of blood clots and relieving pulmonary edema.

Drugs used:

Beta blockers. "Verapamil" and "Carvedilol". Reduces the load on the heart.
Thrombolytics. "Alteplase". Blood clots dissolve.
Antiplatelet agents. Heparin and Aspirin. Prevents the formation of blood clots.
Diuretics. "Temisal", "Eufillin" and "Furosemide". Reduce congestion and eliminate swelling.
Taurine-containing preparations. Thin the blood and improve the condition of blood vessels. Vitamins for cats from manufacturers CEVA, Doctor ZOO, GimP.

Beta blocker "Verapamil" has a positive effect on cardiac tone

For older pets suffering from secondary hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the root cause is eliminated. Animals must be registered with a veterinarian and undergo regular examinations.

Diet food

In addition to using medicines, the cat is transferred to special diet, which allows you to stabilize blood pressure. It is based on avoiding salt. This substance promotes fluid retention.

It is important to enrich the nutrition plan with the following elements:

taurine;
fatty acid;
L-carnitine.

If there is a lack of vitamins, give nutritional supplements, sold in veterinary pharmacies.

If before the onset of HCM the diet consisted of dry food, it is necessary to switch the animal to food designed for pets with pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

During treatment, the animal should not be overfed, since obesity contributes to the formation of additional stress on the heart.

Disease prognosis

The disease development scenario is determined by the following factors:

timely detection of the disease;
degree of severity of symptoms;
the presence of swelling and thromboembolism.

If the pathology is detected at an early stage, subject to proper nutrition and well-chosen therapy, the prognosis is favorable. Life expectancy is not reduced. If left untreated, the pet dies. Death occurs due to thrombosis or heart failure.

It is important to remember that any stress can worsen a pet’s physical condition. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the animal from emotional stress.

Prevention of HCM

The leading preventive direction is early diagnosis. Your pet should be brought in regularly for examination using echocardiography. You should also enrich the animal’s diet with proteins and taurine.

Cats suffering from cardiomyopathy do not participate in breeding.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a common pathology among cats. Maine Coons and Ragdolls are more susceptible to the disease. Therefore, owners of representatives of these breeds should be extremely attentive to the physical condition of the pet.

Video - Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Disease in cats

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is one of the most common heart diseases found in cats. Primary HCM is a congenital disease in which muscle wall pathologically increases in volume. This disease It is most common among cats of young and mature age (1-6 years) and, at the same time, can manifest itself earlier than 3 months of age or closer to 10 years.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has genetic predictors associated with DNA mutations. Two, associated with the breed, have been isolated from Ragdolls and Maine Coons. The following breeds are also predisposed to this disease: British Shorthair, Scottish Fold, Sphynx, Persian, American Shorthair, Devon Rex. There is an assumption that there are many more such genetic mutations, however they have not yet been identified.

The altered genetic apparatus affects the synthesis of proteins involved in the contractile function of the heart, leading to the accumulation of pathological material and disruption of the heart muscle.

Secondary HCM is more common in animals older than 7-10 years and is associated with renal failure, hyperthyroidism and essential hypertension. This hypertrophy is a complication of the primary disease and rarely leads to clinical manifestations, but also contributes to the severity of the disease.

Over time, the heart walls of animals with HCM become thicker and infiltrated with connective tissue elements; the mechanism of this remodeling is somewhat reminiscent of scar formation. This process changes the structure and function of the myocardium in several ways. Firstly, the damaged cardiac muscle of the ventricle loses its inherent elasticity and extensibility, which leads to a decrease in the filling of the heart during the period of its relaxation and a weakening of the pumping function. Secondly, changes in the functioning of the ventricles lead to blood retention in the atria and dysfunction of the atrioventricular valves. The subsequent stretching of the atria leads to an increase in filling pressure in them and a decrease in blood flow from lung tissue. Thirdly, often a thickened interventricular septum can lead to obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract (aorta), which leads to worsening circulatory deficiency. Fourthly, baroreceptors located in the main vessels of the arterial bed inform the body about the insufficiency of the circulating blood volume, which leads to thirst (weakly expressed in cats) and spasm of the peripheral vascular bed. Fifthly, normally, most often, the functioning right parts of the heart, doing their job, intensively fill the pulmonary vessels with blood, but the compromised left parts cannot effectively process the resulting volume, which leads to pulmonary edema or effusion of the liquid part of the blood into the lungs. chest cavity or pericardium. Sixth, slow blood flow in distended atrial chambers can lead to the formation of blood clots and subsequent thromboembolism in cats.

Symptoms of HCM in cats

Symptoms of this disease in cats varies significantly from obvious to hidden and manifests itself only in the death of the animal. We will divide all possible clinical manifestations of this disease into several groups:

Asymptomatic course: the animal has no manifestations, leads a life characteristic of its gender, age, and temperament. N.B.: If your animal feels well, but is a representative of a risk group breed, then screening tests should be carried out at least once a year until 5-6 years of age, for early diagnosis developing disease.

Moderate clinical manifestations include: difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, fast fatiguability and low endurance.

Congestive heart failure: heavy breathing at rest, strong excursion of the chest and emphasis on the work of the abdominal muscles during breathing, does not accept stress, cyanosis/blueness of the visible mucous membranes. In this group, a special form of the disease occurs - burnout hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This course is characterized by latent development, with compensated clinical manifestations of the primary disease for many years. Typically, these animals are characterized by phlegmatism, passivity, and rare and short periods of physical activity. Due to myocardial remodeling processes, cardiomyocytes die and are replaced connective tissue, which leads to pathological thinning of the thickened wall and a decrease in its contractility. The described stage is characterized by high mortality and almost complete irreversibility of the disease.

Thromboembolism: an attack of pain associated with loss of sensation and cooling of the extremities (most often the hind legs).

Sudden death. Rarely seen.

Diagnosis of feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Today, the most reliable method for diagnosing HCM is echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound, echocardiography). Also, one cannot exclude radiography (detection of signs of pulmonary edema and fluid effusion into the chest cavity; differentiation from other pathologies with similar symptoms), electrocardiography\ECG (stretching of the heart chambers, myocardial fibrosis leads to a change in the normal transmission of impulses through the cardiac tissue), pressure measurement, biomarkers (NTproBNP, Trр I, etc.).\

The echocardiogram shows symmetrical thickening of the walls that form the cavity of the left ventricle and lead to a decrease in its internal volume.

General appearance of a dilated left atrium and thickened walls of the left ventricle.

The video shows Dopplerography of regurgitant flows formed by mitral valve against the background of systolic activity of a thickened interventricular septum. The high-speed flow through the altered left ventricular outflow tract captures one of the leaflets of the atrioventricular valve.

Treatment of feline HCM

On this moment There are no clearly proven medications for the treatment of asymptomatic disease, so such animals must be monitored and systematically performed with echocardiography. In moderate groups clinical manifestation and congestive heart failure, the use of drugs is recommended:

affecting heart rate, the ability of the myocardial muscle to relax;
reducing post- and preload, relaxing the peripheral bloodstream;
affecting blood clotting, preventing thrombosis;
enhancing myocardial contractility, in rare cases
V mandatory diuretics.

In each individual case, drugs are selected individually, depending on the characteristics of the course of the disease in a particular animal.

Prognosis for feline HCM

In animals with an asymptomatic form of the disease, there may be no complications aggravating the course of life. In one study, a group of animals with asymptomatic disease lived more than 10 years after diagnosis.

Animals with signs of congestion live on average about 570-800 days, but individual survival varies greatly from 2 months to 5 years. An unfavorable prognosis is observed in animals admitted with signs of thromboembolism. In this type of patient, survival usually does not exceed 6 months. Also, patients with burnout hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have an unfavorable prognosis, since this type develops in only 2-5% of cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, then approximate dates survival rates have not been established.

Owners whose animals are diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are recommended to constantly monitor the respiratory rate at rest, since this parameter is a predictor and one of the earliest markers of the development of pulmonary edema in cats. Besides this study You can do it yourself at home. The frequency of respiratory movements is calculated in an animal at rest for 1 minute; an acceptable figure would be less than 30 respiratory movements, represented by a full excursion of the chest (inhalation-exhalation pair). If this limit is exceeded, you should consult a veterinarian.

Periodic assessment is also recommended pulse wave on a large arterial vessel, preference is given femoral artery, located on the inner surface of the thigh and is easily palpable. A change in pulse characteristics in the direction of weakening, reducing the filling of the vessel, the development of thrombosis should be excluded great vessels, sweating of a voluminous amount of fluid into the chest cavity or decreased myocardial contractility.

When making a general assessment of the animal’s condition, it is necessary to exclude the patient’s collapse, lack of tolerance to physical activity, rapid and intense breathing due to the abdominal muscles, decreased appetite and socialization, apathy and lethargy.

It must be remembered that each animal has its own characteristics and needs a full diagnosis. Only in the case of a comprehensive diagnosis and exclusion of aggravating diseases can one make assumptions about the patient’s possible survival and quality of life.

A distinctive feature of cats is their unprecedented vitality, and due to this feature, in some ancient religions animals were assigned magical abilities, and it was also believed that the mysterious fluffy beauties were associated with the other world.

But there are diseases that can turn the cat’s notorious “nine lives” into one, and even then not a very long one. One such disease is cardiomyopathy in cats.

This is a disease characterized by pathological changes in the ventricles of the heart and interventricular septa. The disease belongs to the category of dangerous ailments that can significantly shorten the life of an animal. According to statistics, such problems are more common in males than in females.

Types of disease

The definition of "cardiomyopathy" includes four categories of diseases affecting the heart muscle of an animal.

Cardiomyopathy is a pathology affecting a cat's heart.

The main types of ailments include:

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This form of the disease is considered the most common and occurs against the background of thickening of the walls of the heart and an increase in the size of this organ. The result of such pathological processes is a reduction in the volume of blood passing through the arteries, deterioration of nutrition and poor oxygen supply to the heart.
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), when the volume of the heart increases, but the thickness of the muscle tissue does not change. As a result, the muscles become thinner and lose the ability to contract normally, which leads to the development of oxygen starvation throughout the body.
Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM), which is characterized by fibrosis of the heart muscles. With the development of this form of the disease, the organ becomes rigid and loses elasticity, as a result of which the animal’s body ceases to receive oxygen and nutrients in the required quantities. With such disorders, animals rarely survive beyond the age of two.
Intermediate cardiomyopathy (ICM). There is no description of this type of disease in specialized reference books, since such a diagnosis is made when an animal simultaneously exhibits symptoms of several types of cardiomyopathies.

Heart disease has a significant impact on the well-being, behavior and life expectancy of cats. For this reason, it is important to recognize the disease in a timely manner and take the necessary measures; inaction can lead to rapid death pet.

Causes of cardiomyopathy

What are the reasons for the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in, or manifestations of other types of this disease?

The factor that provokes the development of the disease includes heredity.

The following provoking factors are distinguished:

heredity;
congenital heart pathologies;
the presence of neoplasms and lymphomas;
respiratory diseases ();
infections and viruses ();
arterial hypertension;
violation of metabolic processes;
increased activity of the thyroid gland;
Excessive production of growth hormones.

Also at risk for heart problems are animals that are obese and lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Symptoms and clinical picture of the disease

The danger of cardiomyopathy is that the animal can for a long time look completely healthy and show no signs of illness. In such cases, only an experienced veterinarian can determine that a cat has heart problems when examining the pet.

Symptoms indicating the presence of a disease of this kind are:

Decrease or increase in heart rate. Each organism has its own norm for the number of heart beats within 1 minute. If the indicator changes up or down, this is a sign of a malfunction of the organ.
Heart murmurs. This symptom can be detected by carefully listening to the chest using a phonendoscope, and it indicates changes in the functioning of the organ.
Heart rhythm disturbance. Certain failures are typical for various diseases this organ, including cardiomyopathy.
The appearance of the “third tone”. When a cat's heart is healthy and functioning normally, muscle contractions are heard in two tones. If there are problems with the heart valve, another one is added to them.

As mentioned above, there are situations when such a violation does not affect the animal’s behavior in any way. But If the cat has become inactive and apathetic, you should immediately contact a veterinarian. It is possible that a specialist will detect signs of heart disease.

If your cat suddenly begins to move less and appears apathetic, she should be seen by a doctor.

Diagnosis of cardiomyopathy

If there is a suspicion of cardiomyopathy, the following diagnostic measures are carried out:

Visual inspection of the animal. With heart problems, the mucous membranes often acquire a bluish tint.
Blood test, general and biochemical, to assess the condition of the animal and confirm or exclude the presence of infection in the body.
X-ray of the heart. When carrying out this study, you can see that the organ is enlarged in size, and if the process has affected the lungs, then their swelling is detected using x-rays.
Echocardiography. Such a diagnostic measure allows you to assess the condition of the ventricles of the heart and interventricular septa.
ECG. Since cardiomyopathy is characterized by changes in heart function and arrhythmia, this study will help identify such pathologies.

After necessary research and diagnosis by a specialist, treatment is prescribed.

Treatment of the disease and medications used

Cardiomyopathy is treated with medication. The goal of therapy is to normalize cardiac output, reduce risk, and reduce congestion. In addition, it is necessary to prevent the formation of blood clots and monitor heart function.

For cardiomyopathy, the veterinarian prescribes the drug Diltiazem.

In order to cope with the problem and improve general state animal, the following drugs are used:

Calcium channel blockers (Cardizem and Diltiazem). These medications help normalize the heartbeat and improve the condition of the heart muscles.
Beta blockers (Atenolol). The action of these drugs is aimed at normalizing heart rhythms; they are used in cases where pronounced signs of tachycardia and muscle fibrosis are detected.
Decongestant medications (Furosemide). To prevent pulmonary edema and congestion, cats must be given diuretics.
ACE inhibitors (Benazepril and Enalapril). The action of these medications is aimed at reducing pathological manifestations in the ventricles of the heart and interventricular septa.

Since the use of diuretics can lead to dehydration, the animal needs additional infusions of a 5% glucose solution at the rate of 15 ml per 1 kg of weight. In addition, it will be necessary to reduce stressful situations for the animal, since they can provoke sudden stop heart and carry out regular checkups with a veterinarian.

Diet for cats with heart disease

To increase the effectiveness of the treatment, it is necessary to feed the cat in accordance with a special diet.

Principle proper nutrition consists of excluding the animal from the diet table salt. As you know, this supplement retains fluid in the body, which can lead to the development of edema, which is extremely undesirable for heart disease.

In addition, it is important that the following substances are present in sufficient quantities in the cat’s diet:

polyunsaturated fatty acids;
l-carnitine;
taurine

To compensate for the lack of these elements, you need to purchase special nutritional supplements for cats. Today, many manufacturers produce vitamins for animals suffering from cardiovascular pathologies, and choosing the appropriate complex is not difficult.

Prognosis for cardiomyopathy

When detecting signs of cardiomyopathy in a pet, pet owners often ask the question: how long do cats with a similar pathology live?

The prognosis for feline cardiomyopathy is ambiguous.

With such diseases, the prognosis is very ambiguous and it all depends on individual characteristics the animal’s body, as well as the nature of the disorder.

As a rule, what the outcome of the disease will be is noticeable already in the first days after the start of treatment. If after 2-3 days there are visible improvements in the animal’s condition, one can hope for a favorable outcome of the disease. However, this is only possible if all the recommendations of the attending physician are followed and the animal is provided with rest.

In situations where, despite the therapy, the animal’s health does not improve, and deterioration is also noticeable, a quick death is quite likely.

With heart problems, some animals live calmly to a ripe old age, but there are cases when, despite the efforts of the owners and the efforts of doctors, the animal dies at the age of 1 to 2 years.

Preventing heart disease in cats

Heart disease in animals can be prevented if preventive measures are followed.

The range of events includes:

and taking vitamins;
carrying out the necessary vaccination;
regular checkups with a veterinarian;
mandatory ultrasound examination of the heart in cats over 6 months of age;
timely and competent treatment of emerging diseases.

In addition, it is important to purchase animals from trusted breeders with a good reputation. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting a pet that is predisposed to various diseases.

In the video, a veterinarian talks about the disease feline cardiomyopathy.