Heart disease in both dogs and cats is quite common. They can be both congenital and acquired (age-related).

Dogs

A disease such as heart disease in dogs occurs in 15 cases out of 100. There are congenital heart defects and acquired ones (due to age or excessive physical exertion).

Types of disease

Congenital heart defects include:

1. patent ductus arteriosus. This defect is typical for breeds such as Rottweiler, Poodle, Chihuahua, German Shepherd, Labrador, Doberman Pinscher and others. Treatment of this disease is only possible through surgery. The prognosis is positive if there are no secondary changes in the right side of the heart muscle.
2. atrial septal defect. The essence of this defect is the poor development or complete absence of connective tissue between the atria. It is typical for Doberman Pinschers, Boxers and Medium Poodles. Unfortunately, surgical treatment is not practiced in Russia, and therapeutic treatment does not give the desired effect. Animals with this pathology do not live long.
3. ventricular septal defect. A disease similar to the previous one, differing only in the location of the defect. Characteristic of breeds such as Doberman Pinscher, English Bulldog, Boxer and some others. The prognosis is unfavorable. Animals don't live long.
4. pulmonary stenosis. Doberman pinscher, French and English bulldogs, mastiffs, Dogue de Bordeaux and others suffer from this defect. In severe cases of the disease, surgical intervention is possible, but the mortality rate of dogs after and during the operation is very high.
5. aortic stenosis (English bulldog, boxer, Labrador, mastiff, Rottweiler). The treatment is similar, the prognosis is unfavorable.
6. The most severe combined heart defect is tetralogy of Fallot. The English Bulldog is susceptible to it. Animals with this congenital disease rarely survive beyond one year.

Symptoms

— Heart vibrations;

— Rapid or intermittent pulse;

- Drowsiness and weakness;

- Gums are bluish in color;

- weight loss.

Cough is not the main symptom in determining heart disease.

Forecast

It should be remembered that if a dog has a congenital heart defect, and not acquired as a result of natural aging of the body, then the prognosis is almost always unfavorable. Most animals die between six months and two to three years of age.

Treatment

By and large, treatment of heart defects in dogs is pointless, because it comes down to only maintenance therapy, which only mitigates the disorder of the heart, but does not eliminate the cause itself.

Cats

Unlike most dogs that lead an active lifestyle, cats are couch potatoes. It is very difficult to notice interruptions in their heart function. The percentage of congenital heart muscle defects is very small, no more than 3%. Kittens with this pathology rarely survive to adulthood due to frequent diseases, including infectious ones. As mentioned above, heart disease in cats, as a rule, is acquired after suffering endocarditis during life, and appears closer to old age. This is not immediately noticeable; cats spend little time in active physical activity, so it is extremely difficult for an unprepared owner to notice the beginning of the process.

Symptoms

In cats, the clinical picture is extremely weak, therefore, unlike dogs, symptoms of heart disease in cats are not always visible to the naked eye. Thus, a tight stomach, noisy breathing after minor physical exertion may be signs of disorders on the left side of the heart. Fatigue and poor appetite may also indicate heart problems. Cats suffer from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Maine Coons, Siberian cats, Sphynxes, and Bengals are especially susceptible to this disease.

Cats have the same heart defects as dogs, with the exception of patent ductus arteriosus, which cats rarely get.

Diagnostics of all diseases is complex. It is necessary to conduct an examination using specialized equipment - echocardiography.

Treatment

Treatment of all heart defects is symptomatic, aimed at compensating cardiac activity. First of all, this is rest, according to symptoms, a diuretic or laxative, cardiac glycosides, diet, lack of stress and excessive physical activity.

Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

veterinarian,

cardiologist at the Bely Klyk clinic - 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, even death.

A distinctive feature of this disease is the insidious development of symptoms and the difficulty of treatment in the later 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 Shorthairs, Scottish Folds, 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 common complications of HCM, sometimes occurring against the background of the cat’s absolute apparent 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 this case the first symptom will be sudden paralysis of the pelvic limbs and severe pain - the cat screams and does not stand on its hind legs. In such cases, the count is in hours, if not minutes. The sooner the patient enters a 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, timely diagnosis is extremely important. The sooner the doctor begins treatment, the longer the patient can live and the lower the risk of developing adverse complications.

The most accurate method for diagnosing HCM is ECHO-cardiography - an ultrasound examination of the heart by a cardiologist. However, in some cases, additional chest x-ray and electrocardiography are also important.

During an 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, and 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. Proof of the special importance of this problem is, for example, the fact that in Western European countries it is legally prohibited to use for breeding or selling cats of risk group breeds 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 that it has no signs of a dangerous pathology. Similar tests with a certificate issued in English 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) in the postoperative period (the first 2 weeks after anesthesia) in patients with a latent form of HCM are not uncommon.

Treatment of HCM

If the doctor nevertheless detects HCM in the patient, do not despair. There are modern effective treatment regimens for this disease, which are especially effective when identifying the disease at an early stage. The drug of choice for such patients is primarily beta blocker drugs. also, if necessary, medications are prescribed to prevent thromboembolism, diuretics, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, 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 with “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 all the necessary equipment and specialists at our disposal to help you with early diagnosis and treatment of this serious disease.

SIGNS OF A SICK CAT

Cats cannot complain about their health themselves, so their health is in your hands. You should closely monitor your animal, and at the first sign of illness, change in appearance or behavior, check to see if the cat is sick. Any deviation from normal behavior is a cause for concern.

If normally your cat behaves independently, but suddenly seeks your company and does not leave a single step from you or, conversely, does not leave its place all day, then try to find out what happened. Don't think that a cat's purring is a sign of health. Purring can sometimes indicate pain or illness. Unexpected aggression in an always calm and docile cat can be caused by pain, fever, concussion, infection, head injury, convulsions, or a diabetic crisis, which requires medical intervention.

A few words about what a healthy animal looks like.

A healthy cat has an excellent appetite, smooth and shiny fur, a cold and moist nose (during sleep it can be dry and warm), mucous membranes are pink and moderately moist. Signs of an animal's health are also vigor and mobility. Temperature, pulse and respiration rate are important criteria for assessing health status.

At disease The cat's behavior changes. She becomes lethargic, lies down more than usual, looks sad, tries to hide in a quiet darkened place, responds reluctantly to calls or, on the contrary, is overly excited, constantly moves around the apartment, meows pitifully or shows aggression. Movements may become awkward and coordination may be impaired. Signs of the onset of the disease also include rapid fatigue, loss of appetite, perhaps the cat does not eat anything, insomnia or, conversely, increased drowsiness.

Normal temperature from 38 to 39 degrees (for small kittens - up to 39.6 degrees, and for sphinxes - up to 41.5). A rise in temperature above 40 may indicate the onset of the disease. But we should also not forget that the animal’s body temperature rises during excitement and fear, after physical exertion, as well as in hot weather, during poisoning, after electric shock or due to hyperfunction of the thyroid gland.

Remember, or better yet, write down your cat's normal resting body temperature.

Pulse reflects the frequency and rhythm of the heartbeat, as well as the strength of the heart muscle impulses. At rest, the heart rate of a healthy cat ranges from 110 to 150 beats per minute. Large cats and animals that lead a quieter lifestyle have a slower heartbeat. The pulse increases when the temperature rises, during inflammatory processes, physical activity, overexcitation, fear and hot weather. In kittens and cats of small breeds, the pulse rate can reach 200 beats per minute; in cats, the pulse is lower than in cats.

Count and record your cat's resting heart rate - this will help you determine in the future whether its rate has changed in a given situation. It is enough to calculate the number of shocks in 15 seconds, and then multiply the resulting value by 4.

Frequency breathing Cats can be easily identified by movements of the chest, abdominal wall or wings of the nose. Normally, it ranges from 20 to 30 respiratory movements per minute. Kittens and young animals, which have a more active metabolism than adults, breathe more quickly than adult cats, and females breathe more quickly than males. In addition, pregnant or lactating cats breathe at a higher rate than normal. Respiration rate is also influenced by size and genetic factors: small cats breathe more often than large ones, which is explained by a higher level of metabolism and, accordingly, increased heat loss. Changes in your cat's breathing rate can be caused by fear, pain, shock, or respiratory illness. It should also be taken into account that breathing becomes more frequent in hot weather, during physical activity, and when the cat is excited. The breathing of a healthy animal after exercise is restored within a few minutes. Difficulty breathing can be caused by heatstroke or, in rare cases, a lack of calcium in the blood during lactation in females. An animal can suffocate due to heart failure, inflammation of the genitourinary system, and also when swallowing a foreign object.

Coat becomes ruffled, dull, and may experience increased shedding, changes in color (yellowness) or skin elasticity.

A sick cat has discharge (purulent, mucous, etc.) from the nose, eyes, mouth and other organs. Colorless discharge may indicate anemia, yellowish discharge may indicate liver damage, bloody discharge may indicate serious infection or poisoning, and bluish discharge may indicate heart failure or disturbances in the circulatory system.

Nasal speculum (nose) dry, constantly warm (a sign of elevated temperature), cracked skin, mucopurulent discharge from the nostrils, the formation of dry crusts, a whitened lobe (a sign of anemia) - sure signs of a cat’s illness.

A sick cat may experience various discharge from the eyes(transparent, purulent, mucous, etc.), squinting and lacrimation can reflect pain in the eye; in a number of diseases, yellowness of the mucous membrane and inflammation of the eyelids are observed. In case of conjunctivitis, poisoning and some other cases, the eyes are sometimes half-closed by the third eyelid.

Regarding oral cavity. with the disease, increased salivation may be observed, there is an unpleasant odor from the mouth, the gums and tongue are covered with plaque or ulcers. The mucous membranes of the mouth and eyelids are pale, bluish or icteric.

Digestion may also be violated. The activity of the gastrointestinal tract is altered: vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, painful bowel movements, and accumulation of gases in the intestines are noted. Foreign objects (hair, worms, etc.) appear in the feces. Drops of blood in the stool (normally brown) also indicate serious internal pathology, usually bleeding in the large intestine. Gastric bleeding, or bleeding in the anterior intestine, is indicated by tarry stool of a dark, almost black color. Clarified feces are a sign of liver disease (lack of bile, etc.). Foamy feces are an indicator of a bacterial infection.

From the outside genitourinary system the following abnormalities may be observed: increased urination, urinary incontinence, lack of urination, pain when emptying the bladder, changes in color (normal urine is yellow) and amount of urine, unpleasant odor, mucopurulent discharge from the genitals, hunched back, stiff gait, soreness in the lumbar region. A sweetish smell from the mouth may also indicate that your cat has kidney problems. Diseases that make it difficult to urinate and pass food can be a tumor, prostate hypertrophy, hemorrhoids, cystitis, and urolithiasis.

Breath becomes frequent or, conversely, rare and cautious (if painful), wheezing, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath appear. Shortness of breath in a cat can be caused by increased physical activity, asthma, inflammation or emphysema, which, in turn, is a consequence of poisoning. Difficulty breathing is observed with pleurisy, heart failure, anemia, and heartworms. In older cats, a sign of heart failure may be a cough.

Lymphatic system. Enlarged lymph nodes, as a rule, indicate the presence of an inflammatory process. Most often, the submandibular lymph nodes are involved in this process, so you should learn to find and feel them.

Increased thirst may be associated with a cold, diabetes, dropsy, renal failure, or kidney disease, and if physical weakness and odor from the mouth are added to it, then this most likely indicates uremia.

Vomit develops in response to poisonous herbs entering the stomach and in general during poisoning, helminthic infestation, and travel in transport. Vomiting and increasing physical weakness in combination with constipation indicate intestinal obstruction and the presence of a foreign body in the intestine.

Yellowness of mucous membranes may be a sign of hepatitis, poisoning, leptospirosis.

Increased salivation occurs when the tongue and oral cavity are damaged, when a foreign body enters the esophagus, from heat and sunstroke, from poisoning and some liver diseases. It can also be a symptom of such a terrible disease as rabies.

But these signs of diseases, as a rule, do not appear all at the same time: usually one sign is most pronounced, and the rest accompany it (in one combination or another). The improvement in the cat’s well-being and recovery can be judged after the disappearance of all painful manifestations characteristic of a particular disease.

The posture of a cat can tell you a lot. A healthy animal rests or sleeps in a relaxed position, with its torso straightened and limbs stretched out. A sick cat takes a forced position that helps reduce pain or any discomfort. In particular, with heart disease, a cat stands with its forelimbs spread wide apart - this makes breathing easier; The cat holds the injured limb suspended; with urolithiasis, intermittent claudication is possible on the hind legs on the left or right, according to a diseased kidney, etc.

The above symptoms manifest themselves to varying degrees, and their combination also varies widely. If you are concerned about anything in your cat's physical condition or behavior, call your veterinarian or the nearest veterinary clinic (make sure to always have these numbers at hand or in a visible place). A telephone consultation may be sufficient to help your pet.

What is heart failure in cats? In short, this is a condition when the heart is unable to provide sufficient blood flow.

Description of the disease

To put it simply, this is not one disease, but several, i.e. complex of diseases. But they all lead to disruption of its contractile function.

It follows from this that they lead to impaired blood circulation throughout the cat’s body. It’s worth taking this as seriously as possible, because the animal’s body is literally balancing “on the brink.”

In critical cases (that is, this is not always the case), the “power” of the heart is only enough to supply tissues and organs with oxygen and various nutrients only in a calm state.

It's terrible, but when he comes out of this state, for example, he starts jumping and running, he shows signs of asphyxia.

Important!

It is worth noting that heart failure in cats (unlike in humans) is uncommon.

The fact that this phenomenon is rare is due to the biochemistry of cats. More precisely, their body. This was also linked to the nutritional characteristics of cats. Most often, the described disease develops in animals that are at least 6 years old.

But, unfortunately, there are exceptions. Sometimes this diagnosis is made at the age of one and a half years. This happens in cases with a congenital defect.

Symptoms

They are not obvious all the time. Classic symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue and fainting.

The majority of cats lead a sedentary lifestyle, so these symptoms are often invisible to the owners. Especially if they belong to the category of always busy people.

Most often, the first symptom that the owner notices is pulmonary edema. That is, severe respiratory failure.

Another symptom of this disease is paralysis of the hind legs. Its cause is thromboembolism of the abdominal aorta.

Help with fainting

Fainting itself is a very serious symptom in cats. Most often, this means that the brain vessels do not have enough blood.

Symptoms of fainting: sudden fall, nausea, weak, thready pulse.

And, of course, in this state the animal stops reacting to anything. Including your own nickname.

How to help an animal?

1. Provide fresh air and free breathing.
2. Place ice in a bubble and a handkerchief soaked in water on your head.
3. The head and body need to be watered.
4. The animal must be placed, the back part should be placed higher than the front (meaning the limbs and head).
5. This will allow more blood to flow into the brain, and the fainting will go away.
6. When the cat comes to her senses, you definitely need to see her. If she cannot drink on her own, you need to pour water into her cheek in small portions.
7. After everything is over, the animal needs to be allowed to rest. Drink sweet, strong, lukewarm tea.
8. You can feed her no earlier than an hour to an hour and a half after she comes to her senses.

Acute heart failure in cats

In humans, it occurs if the blood supply to the myocardium is severely disrupted. In cats, unlike them, there is no main provoking factor. This feature lies in their diet. It does not clog blood vessels, unlike human food, with cholesterol plaques.

Most often, this disease occurs due to an imbalance of the nervous and endocrine systems. Due to stressful situations.

Reference!

The most stressful (and deadly) veterinary procedure is.

Chronic failure

This is the name of a condition that occurs in the presence of systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction.

It is accompanied by prolonged hyperactivation of neurohormonal systems, as well as the following clinically manifested symptoms: shortness of breath, weakness, increased heart sounds and excessive fluid retention.

Chronic failure in cats can develop against the background of virtually any heart disease. The reason depends on each specific case.

Causes and diagnosis

Reasons

The reasons may be as follows:

1. Congenital heart pathologies. They are very rare in cats. In approximately 2% of all cases.
2. Diseases of the heart muscle caused by infections.
3. Heartworms (yes, there are such types of worms), their larvae are found in mosquitoes. When a mosquito bites a cat, they enter the bloodstream. They then settle in the pulmonary artery. They can reach up to 30 cm! Because they are present in the circulatory system, they fundamentally interfere with the outflow of blood and cause enormous damage to the arteries. Adult worms literally entangle the heart, preventing it from working. These pests can only be identified using a blood test.
4. Cardiomyopathy, it is caused by an inadequate diet in cats. Usually, pets do not have enough taurine. It is also found in raw fish. Is it possible to feed a cat boiled fish or meat? It’s possible, but she still won’t get the right amount of taurine. When cooked, this substance is destroyed.
5. Metabolic disorder. Sometimes it is caused by an incorrectly structured diet.
6. . Heart failure most often occurs in cats over 6 years of age.

Diagnostics

It must be carried out by a qualified veterinarian - a cardiologist in order to prescribe the correct treatment.

Typically it includes:

• blood test;
• urine;
• chest x-ray.

It goes without saying that if a cat is diagnosed with this, it needs to be excluded from planning according to.

Predisposed Breeds

Some cat breeds are more prone to heart failure. These are the following breeds:

• ragdolls;
• Maine Coons;
• British;
• Scots;
• Norwegian forest;
• sphinxes;
• some other breeds.

Treatment

How to treat a cat with heart failure?

• Provide the animal with complete rest. You need to protect him from absolutely any stress. Be it a trip in public transport, the arrival of guests, or even a running vacuum cleaner.
• Treatment with diuretics. But only those approved by the veterinarian. They will remove excess fluid from the body. During the course of the disease, it accumulates near the lungs and causes swelling. More precisely, it can cause. Fluid may also accumulate in the chest, causing pleurisy. It can also be in the abdominal cavity and cause ascites. What happens if the amount of fluid in the body decreases? The load on the heart will also decrease.
• It is very important that the diet is balanced.
• Treatment with ACE inhibitors. These medications reduce the workload on the heart. And they increase blood flow.
• If fluid has collected around an organ, the veterinarian will drain the fluid. The cat will feel relief. Unfortunately, not for long. How is this procedure carried out? A sterile needle is inserted into the desired location.

Prevention

The most important prevention is changing the animal’s lifestyle to a more active one.

If a cat does not eat properly and, as a logical consequence, suffers from obesity, these are the main enemies for her heart. Therefore, an attentive owner should also ensure that the cat has plenty of healthy (!) food.

If a cat does not eat properly and, as a logical consequence, suffers from obesity, these are the main enemies for her heart.

Also, for prevention, after acquiring (or if the owner found it or took it for free, but after this acquisition), the pet must be examined at a veterinary clinic; in case of any risk, the cat must be checked at least once a year.

Attention!

Cats with a “sofa” lifestyle are more likely to develop diseases such as heart failure.

Treatment consists of drug therapy, which will make the heart work easier, eliminate pain, improve blood circulation, and also nourish the myocardium, since, unfortunately, heart surgery is not performed in cats.

Useful video

The video below shows how a cat behaves with heart disease and fluid in the lungs, what signs indicate the disease.

Conclusion

Heart failure in cats is difficult, but at the same time treatable. If the cat owner was attentive. And timely prevention will significantly facilitate and prolong the cat’s life.

There's nothing worse than watching a cat suffer that you can't help. There can be many reasons for this condition... But you should still call the vet immediately, as your pet may be having a heart attack! This pathology is rare in cats, but its possibility should not be completely ruled out.

In general, the course of this disease is equivalent to the same processes that occur in the case of a person. Blood flow to the heart is greatly impaired, and the vital organ does not receive the proper amount of oxygen and nutrients. Entire sections of the heart muscle die, which subsequently leads to dire consequences. Roughly speaking, a sharp exacerbation of this process is an attack. What are the reasons for such a dangerous phenomenon?

Some kittens are born with congenital or have a higher risk of heart attacks. Let us warn you once again that problems with the cardiovascular system are not very common for these animals, but they still happen. Veterinarians believe that no more than 1-2% of all kittens are born with congenital heart defects.

Read also: Streptococcus in cats: manifestations and prevention of infection

Some breeds are more susceptible to developing this disease. Maine Coons are also at high risk. It should be noted that this pathology is not inherited in all cases. In any case, it's not that important. Almost any pathology that negatively affects the condition of the heart and blood vessels can lead to a heart attack. So it is much more important for the owner to know the first signs of this condition in order to urgently, without wasting time and without panicking, seek help from a veterinary specialist.

Symptoms

Cats, by nature, don't like to show weakness. Sometimes autopsies of old cats reveal that their hearts are almost completely covered with scars. That is, visible signs of a heart attack in cats do not always appear, and not in all cases they are bright enough to quickly make a correct diagnosis.

So, a cat may suddenly begin to worry, he runs around the house, looks for secluded places, and sometimes even fusses feverishly. A fairly characteristic symptom is the sudden onset of lameness in the left front paw. The animal falls on her, sometimes dragging a limb. During this period, there is no need to run after your pet! Do not try to catch or fix it, as this is unnecessary and extremely dangerous stress. Extensive heart damage in cats resulting in immediate death is phenomenally rare, so give your cat time to recover while calling your veterinarian.

Read also: How to recognize rabies in a cat: signs according to the form of the disease

But cases when all of the above symptoms of a heart attack in a cat are combined with difficult and wheezing breathing are extremely dangerous. In this case, we may be talking about congestive insufficiency of the pulmonary circulation, and this condition is fraught with death. If possible, if these signs occur, the cat should be taken to the vet immediately.

What should owners do?

The fact of the matter is that it is difficult to recommend specific actions. Often, “advice” appears on thematic resources, which, in particular, talks about the need to “inject NoSpa and analgin.” Don't follow them please! Firstly, your cat may not be having a heart attack, since the same signs are quite typical for some poisonings. Secondly, you cannot calculate the dosage “by eye”, but the same substance is quite harmful.

Thirdly, something similar can occur when a nerve is pinched. Weak home remedies when administered intramuscularly are unlikely to alleviate the cat’s suffering... But the animal, twitching and trying to get rid of its owner’s tenacious hands, has an increased chance of further aggravating its condition, which cannot be called brilliant anyway.

So just call your vet. If the animal’s condition has stabilized (and this often happens), then do not try to put the cat in a carrier and take it to the doctor yourself! This way you will scare a pet that has just calmed down into a stupor, which can be fatal for its heart.

Help in a clinical setting

What is first aid for a heart attack in a cat, provided in a clinical setting? Firstly, the specialist will reduce the intensity of the pain reaction using the sedatives he has available. Secondly, he will try to understand the reasons for what is happening to your cat. For this purpose, phonendoscopy, chest x-ray, general and biochemical blood tests are used...

Heart disease in cats, which can be congenital or acquired, is one of the most common causes of death of our smaller brothers. Recently, in veterinary medicine, heart diseases are quite often diagnosed in domestic animals of various age groups and breeds.

Unfortunately, cat breeders turn to the clinic when the disease reaches a chronic, extreme stage, and this in turn implies long-term and possibly lifelong therapy. In some cases, cardiac pathology can only be overcome by surgical treatment. Therefore, owners of furry pets should not only know the causes of development and main symptoms and manifestations of heart disease, but also take all possible measures to avoid life-threatening pathologies for their animals.

The heart of animals is practically no different from the human heart and performs the same functions in the body, taking part in blood circulation processes. The only difference is the ratio of the organ relative to body weight and heart rate. The heart distills oxygen and useful substances, saturating organs, tissues, and cellular structures with it.

Important! A cat's heart beats between 100 and 140 beats per minute. In kittens this figure is slightly higher. After activity, stress, or overheating, the heart rate increases.

Failures in the functioning of the cardiovascular system, cardiac pathologies of various etiopathogenesis worsen the quality, reduce the life expectancy of animals, lead to disruption of gas exchange, the functioning of internal organs and body systems.

Often, pathologies, heart disease in cats, and disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system in animals occur against the background of diseases and infections of various etiologies and natures. For example, one of the causes of cardiopathy can be called disturbances in the functioning of the thyroid gland. Due to the increased production of thyroid-stimulating hormone, the walls of the ventricles of the heart thicken, the volume of ejected blood decreases, which leads to the fact that the heart literally works for wear and tear.

As for breed predisposition, according to statistics, Bengals, Persian, Siamese, Thai, Abyssinian, Burmese cats and their mixed breeds suffer from heart ailments of various types.

In these breeds, kittens are often born with congenital heart defects. In this case, pathologies can develop at an older age.

In some cases, the causes of heart disease are unknown, and in order to determine what caused the malfunction of the cardiovascular system, a number of diagnostic studies and measures are required.

Main symptoms

Symptoms, signs, and clinical manifestations of cardiac pathologies are ambiguous. The general picture, the intensity of symptoms depends on age, conditions of detention, the presence of secondary, concomitant systemic diseases, general physiological condition, individual characteristics, form, and the root cause of the disease.

Often, owners detect symptoms of heart disease when they enter the chronic stage, which can end tragically for their pet. Therefore, always carefully monitor the behavior and condition of your furry pet, and if there are any signs of discomfort or worsening of the condition, contact a veterinarian.

Important! Pathologies and diseases of the cardiovascular system can manifest themselves in cats of different age groups. Heart diseases are not always detected in elderly, old animals.

Signs of heart disease and pathologies in cats:

• weakness, decreased activity, lethargy, drowsiness;
• weak reaction to external stimuli;
• refusal to eat;
• heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmia, tachycardia);
• fainting, signs of suffocation;
• breathing problems (shortness of breath, rapid breathing, cough);
• wheezing in the sternum, wheezing;
• pallor, cyanosis of mucous membranes;
• swelling on the body, ascites;
• dry nose;
• heart murmurs on auscultation;
• weight loss;
• fainting, convulsions, muscle spasms;
• temperature drop;
• violation of movement coordination.

Cats suffering from heart pathologies get tired quickly after active games or short activity. Animals may take unnatural positions and refuse food or treats offered.

Touching the sternum causes pain. Breathing is rapid (more than 35-40 breaths per minute at rest), shallow. Respiratory rate is measured by chest movement.

Important! The respiratory rate of cats is affected by weight, age, ambient temperature, and the condition of the animal. Thus, in pregnant and lactating cats, and in pets after physical activity, the respiratory rate is increased.

Due to oxygen starvation, animals stretch their necks forward and breathe with an open mouth. Cats often have swelling in their limbs and muzzle. Body temperature is unstable and in most cases low.

Heart pathologies in cats often cause convulsions, which are in many ways similar to epileptic seizures. Animals with heart failure try to move as little as possible and avoid physical activity. Possible loss of coordination of movements, frequent sudden fainting caused by dizziness, paralysis of the hind legs.

Given the non-specificity of symptoms, it is very important to carry out comprehensive diagnostic measures in the clinic as quickly as possible. Diagnosis of heart pathologies in animals is quite complex, is carried out using special equipment and requires highly qualified veterinarians.

Diagnosis of cardiac pathologies

It is impossible to independently determine cardiac pathology in a pet without experience and special equipment. Heart disease, even in its early stages, may not manifest itself for several years. This is why it is very important to take your pet at least once a year for a checkup.

The diagnosis is made taking into account the combination of a number of studies, which include:

• ECHO (echocardiography).
• ECG (electrocardiography). The electrical activity of the heart is measured.
• MRI, CT.
• Tonometry.
• Physical research.
• X-ray. This technique allows you to determine the size and shape of the heart.
• Laboratory tests (serological studies).

In addition to the basic techniques, the doctor collects medical history data and takes into account the specifics of clinical manifestations.

Treatment and prevention

Self-medication if a cat has a heart disease, regardless of the degree of complexity, can lead to serious consequences. Therapy should be prescribed by the attending veterinarian, having the diagnostic results in hand. The choice of methods depends on the form, stage, complexity of cardiovascular pathology, as well as on the age, physiological state of the animals, and the root cause.

Important! If the pathology is detected at the initial stage of development, the animal is registered with the veterinarian. In the future, the veterinarian-cardiologist monitors the treatment and condition of the sick patient.

Treatment of most heart diseases in the early stages of development involves drug therapy. Cardiac glycosides, anticoagulants, drugs that normalize heartbeat, blood pressure, diuretics, restoratives, and symptomatic drugs in injections or tablets are used. Animals are prescribed a special diet, medicinal feed, enzyme agents, vitamins, mineral supplements, and immunomodulators.

The main goal of cardiac therapy is to normalize the functioning of the heart, stop destructive processes in the organ, improve the condition of blood vessels, prevent the formation of blood clots, and correct blood pressure. For each individual pathology, appropriate treatment and certain medications are prescribed.

Sick pets require optimal living conditions and a complete fortified diet. Food should contain proteins, taurine, vitamin A, B3, B6, B12, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, essential amino acids. It is very important to protect cats from stress, which not only disrupts the functioning of the heart, but also weakens the body.

In severe cases, to eliminate anatomical defects, if drug treatment does not produce results, surgical treatment is used, after which maintenance therapy is prescribed. If it is not possible to completely restore organ function, cats are prescribed lifelong treatment.

Types of Heart Diseases

Heart disease can be congenital or acquired. At the same time, they are all united by gradual progression. Heart diseases can be acute, subacute, or chronic.

Birth defects

Some heart diseases and pathologies in cats are congenital and hereditary. However, they are not common, only in 2.5-4% of kittens. The most commonly diagnosed malformations of the heart valve are septal openings.

These pathologies include:

• stenosis (narrowing) of the aorta;
• stenosis of the ventricular efferent valve;
• defects of the interventricular and intervalvular septa;
• pulmonary stenosis;
• triatrial heart;
• endocardial fibroelastosis.

Important! Congenital heart pathologies manifest themselves at young and older ages. It all depends on the care, conditions of detention, individual, physiological parameters

Defects in the development of the valve apparatus are detected at the mitral valve, which is located between the left ventricle and the left atrium. If the valve does not close properly, its functioning is impaired, blood does not flow into the atrium, which will lead to malfunction of the heart and accumulation of blood between the chambers of the organ.

Symptoms of congenital heart pathologies vary depending on the specific disease. Anemia of the mucous membranes and skin, excessive thirst, irregular heart rhythm, respiratory failure, weakness, drowsiness, increased thirst, decreased activity - these are the main manifestations of congenital heart pathologies in cats.

The prognosis for congenital heart pathologies is in most cases unfavorable. Drug treatment provides improvement, but animals, if there are no contraindications, are prescribed surgery.

Heart pathologies

It is simply impossible to consider heart pathologies that are diagnosed in cats in one article. Each disease requires special attention and review. Therefore, let’s imagine diseases that are diagnosed in veterinary medicine.

Cats are diagnosed

• pericarditis (inflammation of the pericardium);
• myocarditis;
• myocardosis (dystrophy of the heart muscle);
• cardiac arrhythmias, which, although not the main disease, indicate malfunctions of the cardiovascular system.

One of the most common pathologies is endocarditis.. Manifested by inflammation of the inner lining of the muscle. It occurs acutely and chronically. Depending on the localization of the process, it can be parietal (verrucous), valve (ulcerous). The nature of the changes is warty, ulcerative.

Pericarditis in cats they are more often idiopathic in nature. The pathology is accompanied by impaired blood flow, destructive, dystrophic, necrotic processes in the tissues of the organ.

Causes of pericarditis: hypothermia, weakening of resistance, overwork, frequent stress. The initial stage is characterized by fibrin deposition, the formation of adhesions, and cardiac murmurs. Dry pericarditis in cats often turns into an exudative form. Parenchymal edema of organs and intoxication due to exposure to toxic products gradually develop.

Symptoms depend on the stage of development:

• tachycardia is noted;
• tachysystole;
• fever;
• pain in the heart area;
• symptoms of dehydration.

Arrhythmia, tachycardia, and other heart rhythm disturbances are not a separate pathology, but a symptom, a manifestation of some pathology or a consequence of inflammatory processes.

Treatment for any pathology is aimed at normalizing heart function, adjusting blood pressure, and eliminating the root cause.

Cardimopathy

Among all disorders of the heart, cardiomyopathy is most often diagnosed in cats of various age groups and breeds. Pathology caused by structural abnormalities in the muscular structures of a hollow organ, inevitably leads to disruption and dysfunction of the pumping system. In severe cases, congestive heart failure develops, which will lead to anemia and oxygen starvation.

Due to the accumulation of fluid in the pulmonary circulation, respiratory distress syndrome develops. Leads to the formation of blood clots that clog blood vessels. In cats, edema, paralysis, paresis of the hind limbs, acute anemia, and fainting are noted. If treatment is not started in time, the disease is fatal in 100% of cases.

Most cardiopathies in animals are of primary origin. The secondary form of the disease develops rarely and can be caused by surges in blood pressure, anemia, and hyperthyroidism.

In veterinary medicine, there are four types of primary cardiomyopathies in cats:

• Hypertrophic. Characterized by thickening of the myocardium, increased pressure in the cavities of the heart. Leads to the development of acute heart failure.
• Restrictive. With this pathology, there is a loss of elasticity of the myocardium, which leads to degeneration of organ tissue. The systolic and diastolic function of the heart muscle is impaired.
• Dilatational. Characterized by thinning and stretching of the heart walls. The heart enlarges and its contractile function is impaired.
• Arrhythmogenic. A rare genetically determined disease characterized by the replacement of normal tissues with fibrofatty tissue. The pathological process mainly involves the right ventricle.

Each disease has its own specific symptoms and manifestations. Some diseases have a genetic, hereditary origin. Thus, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is most often noted in Sphynx cats, Norwegian Forest cats, British cats, Maine Coons, Siamese, Abyssinian cats, as well as Redgall and Scottish Fold breeds.

Symptoms

Behavior changes in cats with cardiomyopathy. The condition may be stable until the pathology reaches a critical stage. The disease is manifested by weakness, drowsiness, breathing problems, and instability. Pulse and blood pressure changes.

Sharp changes in emotional state are noted. Bouts of calm are replaced by increased excitability. Cats meow pitifully, demanding the attention of their owners, hiding in secluded places.

Treatment

Treatment of cardiomyopathies in cats depends on the form and severity of the disease and is most effective at an early stage of development. Therapy is selected individually, in each specific case.

Used in treatment:

• beta blockers;
• medications to prevent thromboembolism;
• blood thinners;
• diuretics;
• calcium channel blocking drugs;
• vitamins;
• homeopathy.

If cardiomyopathy of any form and etiology is detected, the animals, despite their breed qualities, are removed from breeding.

In cats, like in people, heart failure is a serious disease that, without qualified help, can lead to the death of the animal.

In heart failure, the heart loses its ability to maintain the intensity of blood flow necessary to supply oxygen and nutrients to all organs and tissues.

Today we will tell you in detail about the main symptoms and methods of treating heart failure in cats.

For some reason, a pet’s heart may sometimes not perform all its functions. This leads to a “failure” of the functioning of the entire organism as a whole.

This is interesting! Cats suffer from acute heart failure less frequently than humans. This is facilitated by the peculiarities of nutrition and the specificity of biochemical processes in the animal’s body.

As a rule, in cats and dogs, the development of heart failure is associated with a whole complex of disorders, since the abnormal rhythm of contraction of the heart muscle disrupts blood circulation throughout the body.

Pathology is more common in individuals over 6 years of age. But it happens that symptoms of the disease appear in kittens as early as six months. Therefore, it is a mistake to believe that only old animals suffer from heart failure. Even owners of small puppies and kittens can face this terrible diagnosis, and this is due to a number of reasons.

There are several types of heart failure in cats.

• along the way there is acute and chronic heart failure;
• they also talk about a congenital or acquired illness;
• In addition, heart problems can be primary and secondary (arising after infectious diseases).

It is also worth knowing about the predisposition of some breeds to the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system. Large breeds of cats (for example, Maine Coon and others) are more likely than others to develop diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Causes of heart failure

The causes of heart failure in cats can be very diverse, but most often the pathology starts with diseases such as:

• hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (pathological proliferation of the myocardium);
• hyperthyroidism (thyroid problems);
• hypertension (high blood pressure);
• oncology;
• congenital heart defects.

Types of cardiomyopathy

Most often, veterinarians diagnose various types of cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic

The most common form of cardiomyopathy.

With this type of heart failure, the heart muscle increases in size several times, and mainly the ventricular myocardium increases. This leads to the fact that the volume of the ventricle of the heart decreases. As a result, there is less blood in it, but the body needs oxygen! Therefore, the myocardium has to contract more often and rests less. But rest is necessary. Hence the “fatigue” of the muscle, which is followed by heart failure in dogs and cats.

Dilated cardiomyopathy

With this type of heart failure in cats and dogs, the wall of the ventricle does not thicken, but stretches. But despite the fact that the volume of the ventricle increases and there is a lot of blood in the heart, the normal function of the heart is still impaired. The myocardium cannot fully contract, thereby expelling all the blood from the ventricle. Some of it “stagnates,” which stretches the walls even more.

Restrictive

In this case, the muscles seem to be “wooden” and practically do not stretch. Their elasticity is lost. And, despite the fact that the volume of the ventricle does not change, the myocardium cannot cope with its functions due to loss of elasticity.

Intermediate

A very complex type of cardiomyopathy. And all because it is not always possible to diagnose it, because changes from different types of cardiomyopathy are mixed.

At-risk groups

People at risk for cardiomyopathy include:

1. Cats and dogs over 6 years old. This is all simply explained by the fact that organs “get tired” throughout life and become “targets” for pathogens of infectious diseases. And the heart experiences increased stress.
2. Animals of large breeds. The peculiarity is due to the fact that the heart, like a pump, needs to pump a lot of blood under high pressure.
3. Representatives of mini breeds. Their miniature hearts have to beat at a much higher frequency, which “wears out” the heart muscle faster.
4. Animals that have had infectious diseases, as well as those suffering from high blood pressure or excessive activity of the thyroid gland.
5. Cats and dogs after severe treatment (many medications can cause heart complications)
6. Having a genetic predisposition (this is why it is so important to know the pedigree of a kitten or puppy).
7. Animals suffering from malnutrition!

Symptoms of heart failure in cats

Symptoms of heart failure in cats depend on many factors. One of which is the age of the animal.

Kittens

The most common cause of heart failure in kittens is congenital heart disease. As a rule, this pathology may not manifest itself in any way in the first months of life.

The following symptoms should alert you to a kitten:

• loss of appetite;
• severe fatigue;
• lethargy and apathy;
• shortness of breath after any, even minor, physical activity;
• pallor of the mucous membranes (gums and tongue);
• loss of consciousness.

In kittens, after the first symptoms appear, the condition can worsen very quickly, so the animal must be taken to the clinic as quickly as possible.

Adult cats and kittens

Symptoms in an adult animal are largely similar to those described for kittens, but additional manifestations may also appear, such as:

• strong thirst;
• rapid weight gain;
• “heart cough”, which often appears at night;
• wheezing when breathing;
• vomiting (sometimes occurs with severe coughing attacks).

Chronic heart failure in cats appears gradually. Symptoms do not appear all at once and increase slowly. Therefore, even the most attentive owners may not notice the disease immediately. The limbs and chest area often swell.

Elderly animals

In older animals, the disease is most difficult and the symptoms can no longer be missed.

The first cause for serious concern would be:

• unsteady gait;
• loss of orientation in space;
• frequent fainting;
• almost non-stop “heart cough”.

The disease also makes itself felt by an enlarged abdomen and the characteristic positioning of the front paws.

Diagnostics

For treatment to give positive results, the diagnosis must be carried out by an experienced veterinarian - a cardiologist. To make a diagnosis you need:

1. Collecting a complete medical history (data about the pet from the owner). It is important to prepare and provide the veterinarian with detailed, comprehensive information; it is best to bring it to the appointment in writing, so as not to miss important details about the health and vital functions of your pet.
2. Listening, palpation and other visual examination methods.
3. Pressure measurement. Decreased readings usually indicate serious heart problems.
4. Ultrasound of the heart.
5. X-ray examination of the chest.
6. Blood and urine tests.

Important! If a cat is diagnosed with heart failure, then the animal is prohibited from being used for breeding.

For cats, the very process of bearing and giving birth to offspring can be dangerous, since it involves a significant load on the cardiovascular system. Cats are excluded due to the high likelihood of inheriting a predisposition to heart failure.

How to provide first aid for heart failure

If you do not immediately come to the aid of your pet during an acute attack of heart failure, he may die suddenly.

You need to act measuredly, but quickly, as follows:

• lay the animal head to one side;
• remove tongue from mouth;
• Apply a cool compress prepared in advance to the cat’s head;
• try to bring the animal to its senses by holding a cotton ball soaked in ammonia to its nose;
• The paws must be held above the head to increase blood flow to it.

Treatment of cats with heart failure

Any treatment of a cat with symptoms of heart failure should be carried out under the strict supervision of a veterinarian! Self-medication can not only aggravate the course of the disease, but also lead to the death of the animal! Be sure to find out the cause of the malaise!

Important! Ignoring the problem over time can lead to irreversible changes in the heart and blood vessels.

If acute heart failure is determined, treatment for the cat may include:

• maximum rest and minimization of physical activity;
• oxygen therapy (oxygen chamber or blood oxygenation procedure);
• intravenous administration of drugs (cardiac glycosides, steroids, antibiotics, electrolytes, diuretics, potassium supplements, anticoagulants, etc.);
• symptomatic and supportive therapy;
• pumping out fluid accumulating in body cavities (if diuretics are insufficiently effective).

Unfortunately, with such a diagnosis, the animal will require lifelong maintenance therapy. Even after the acute danger subsides, these cats are very important:

• minimizing stress;
• correct activity mode;
• special diet (no salt);
• limited access to water (drinking a large amount of water will provoke swelling);
• Regular visits to the veterinarian and monitoring of the condition.

It is necessary to strictly follow all medical instructions and recommendations. The slightest deviation from the treatment regimen will negate all progress towards restoring heart rhythm. Taking medications for too long can also become dangerous to your health in some cases.

Prevention of heart failure

How to act so that you never encounter this disease?

1. Make sure that cats exposed to the disease do not produce offspring.
2. When choosing a pet, check its pedigree for registered cases of cardiac anomalies, and if any are detected, do not buy a “pig in a poke.”

But even a healthy animal needs to be looked after, making sure that the cat eats rationally and leads an active lifestyle. A balanced amount of nutrients will help avoid obesity in your pet, which is often observed in lazy neutered cats, which need to be monitored more closely. Regular walks with games on the street, which are also beneficial for the respiratory and, therefore, cardiac system, also prevent obesity.

In addition, cardiac problems may worsen in adult cats after general anesthesia. Therefore, before the operation involving it, the animal must be carefully examined.

How long a cat with heart failure will live depends only on how badly the heart is affected and how qualified veterinary care is provided to the animal. Self-medication is extremely dangerous. Due to incorrectly prescribed medications, the animal may develop pulmonary edema, which, together with heart failure, leads to death. It is worth understanding that medications to treat a cat/dog with heart failure will have to be given for the rest of the pet’s life.

We also suggest watching a video about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats:

Still have questions? You can ask them to our site's in-house veterinarian in the comment box below, who will respond to them as soon as possible.

(1 ratings, average: 4,00 out of 5)

Anna 11:47 | 11 Sep. 2019

Hello. My cat has chronic congestive heart failure (right-sided, left-sided, with reduced output). The prognosis is extremely unfavorable. They prescribed vetmedin 2.5, half a tablet 2 times a day, furosemide 40 mg, 1/6 tablet once a day, clopidogrel 75 1/4 once a day. About 8 hours later, I noticed that the cat was raising his front paws as if about to wash himself, and was freezing in this position as if he was shackled. What is this and what could it be connected with?

Hello! Please help me! The day before yesterday my cat died. Everything happened so quickly, we didn’t expect it at all. I love her so much and I don’t know how to get through it all. I wasn’t home all day. I arrived at about 8 pm, but first I didn’t approach her and now I don’t remember how she behaved at all. Then I gave her a piece of sausage. Then I noticed that she didn’t eat it, but only bit it a little. Maybe another half an hour passed, the young man and I were in the hall , it was dark, I didn’t see what condition she was in. When I tried to pick her up, she broke free. I was surprised, I touched her nose, it was very dry. I tried to pick her up again, she broke free again. She jumped off on the floor and lay down with her whole body on her stomach, I had never seen her in this position before. Then I realized that something was really wrong with her. I turned on the light, she was breathing heavily with her stomach. We tried to pick her up again, she ran away the other end of the sofa, she lay down, put her head on the armrest of the sofa. She looked very lethargic, her eyes seemed to be half-closed, it was clear that she was having a hard time. But she didn’t open her mouth, didn’t cough, and behaved absolutely quietly. She didn’t even meow, She didn’t make a single sound, she was just breathing heavily from her stomach. We immediately called the veterinarian and took the cat to her. She examined the cat in the car, with poor lighting. I tried to help her, tried to pick up the cat, and she suddenly bit me very hard on my finger .Then she resisted for a long time, did not allow herself to be held, she squealed. At first, the veterinarian reached into her mouth with her hand. She said that she had choked on something. She couldn’t get anything with her hand, she went to get tweezers. The young man held the cat in an upright position , I shined a flashlight into her mouth, and the veterinarian climbed into her mouth with tweezers, but I didn’t see anything there, and neither did she. I just noticed that she was bleeding in her mouth, apparently the veterinarian had injured her with tweezers. She immediately lowered her onto stomach and said that the cat would die. After 10 seconds, she no longer moved. I don’t understand what happened to her. I really blame myself. Please help! I’ve already read so much information, but I haven’t found anything concrete. I can’t take it away for an autopsy. We can, because the cat was buried that same evening.

Hello! Please accept my sincere condolences for the death of your beloved pet. But based on what you described, it is extremely difficult to make an accurate diagnosis. You don’t really know what happened to the animal or how long ago it happened. Maybe pulmonary edema, maybe cardiac/respiratory failure, maybe a foreign body got stuck (they didn’t remove it for a long time, swelling of the larynx occurred, as a result, the animal suffocated), maybe allergic edema. Whatever. You can't make a post-mortem diagnosis that easily. Only an autopsy will provide the data necessary for a final diagnosis.

Thank you very much for answering! I thought about everything for 2 days and remembered that in the last maybe 2 days before her death, I noticed her in such an unusual position when she was lying almost flat on her stomach. She was also lying on a chair and on the bed. I I was surprised, but decided that it was nothing serious, I just started sleeping in a different position. Maybe her heart was bad? Could she have choked on a chicken bone? It’s just that 4 days passed from the day she ate chicken until the day when she died. And we didn’t hear her cough. I also have a suspicion that we made it worse for her by taking her to the vet. I just took her out of the apartment and she immediately started to panic. She felt bad in the car , she also lay on her stomach on the seat and it was clear how hard it was for her to breathe, in a still unfamiliar, closed space. And when the veterinarian began to examine her in the car, she was very scared, she resisted strongly, she was probably in pain, it made her even more painful she is a veterinarian. I still remember her eyes, so dark (although they were light), frightened, as if they were not hers. I am also very shocked by how she died. The veterinarian climbed in her mouth for about 3 minutes, lowered her on the seat and after 10 seconds or immediately she was already dead! How could this happen!? I don’t understand anything at all. Could her heart stop because of such a stressful situation? We were in a state of shock and buried her almost immediately, autopsy we can’t do anything anymore. But I won’t be able to calm down until I find out what happened to her. I understand that the exact cause of death can only be found out after an autopsy, but I no longer have that opportunity. I really hope that you will answer me! I will be with you endlessly grateful!

I repeat to you once again: the final cause of death of an animal is ALWAYS established based on the results of a pathological autopsy. Everything else is pointing a finger at the sky. The same stomach or intestines could have been pierced with a bone (severe painful shock, peritonitis, and as a result, the death of the animal). Maybe in the heart, maybe something else. And a visit to the vet has nothing to do with it. The animal would have died anyway. Not on that day, but a couple of days later the pet slowly died. According to the symptoms you described, the cat was already in agony. Calm down and let go of the situation. The animal cannot be returned, it is useless to blame someone

Anastasia 00:31 | 28 Mar. 2019

Hello, please tell me, a cat, neutered, over 10 years old, was taken to the vet. cough clinic. After the X-ray, we examined pulmonary edema, pumped out pinkish fluid, submitted it for analysis, and found no cancer cells. We have been treating for almost 2 months and during this time we have been given many diagnoses with appropriate treatment: hydrothorex, chylotorex, chronic renal failure, FIP... We are treating and treating and all to no avail, only fluid began to accumulate to a lesser extent in the lungs, but in large quantities in abdominal cavity... We took blood tests a long time ago (I write down deviations and important indicators): urea 10.6 (normal 5.4-12.1), creatinine 224 (normal 48-165), alkalinity. phosphatase 19 (normal 49-90), phosphorus 2.6 (normal 1.1-2.3), hemoglobin 92 (normal 93-153), MCHC 222 (normal 300-380), MCH 12 (normal 13-21), MCV 53 ( normal 39-52), platelets 542 (normal 100-500), segmented neutrophils 93 (normal 35-75), lymphocytes 5 (normal 20-55), ESR 2 (normal 0-13). According to urine tests, the only deviations were: ketone bodies 1.5 (normal 0), specific gravity 1.020 (normal 1.035-1.060) ... By now the cat had lost a lot of weight, had not eaten, he was prescribed subcutaneous injections of Ringel-Lock solution, in fact, the body was not managed and it all settled in the abdominal cavity, the cat walked like an inflated balloon... Therefore, everyone has the same thoughts, after all, chronic renal failure. Recently in the vet. store shared our situation with the cat, surprisingly there was a woman who had a similar situation with the cat in terms of fluid accumulation in the cat’s body, and she said that it was possible that there was heart failure... We will do an ultrasound of the heart... But here’s the question: the cat has pink skin on the stomach and recently it was bluish in the groin area... According to my guesses and your article, this is subcutaneous hemorrhage... Question: is heart failure really to blame? If blood vessels burst, is it possible to give heart medications, for example, Vetmidin... It will make the heart pump blood faster, and logically, if the vessels burst, then there will only be more subcutaneous bleeding? Thank you in advance for your answer, and I apologize for my unprofessional thinking: I am a simple student not from the veterinary field. medicine. And maybe you are familiar with these symptoms, can you tell me what’s going on with the cat...

Julia 22:56 | 24 Feb. 2019

Your question* A cat died unexpectedly in the 6th year of his life. There were no signs of trouble. In the morning, as usual, he ate, went to the toilet, after 15 minutes he screamed, fell on his left side, convulsed, wheezed and stopped moving, his eyes became glassy, ​​his tongue out, the mucous membranes in the mouth are pale blue in color. Before this I felt great, I always had an appetite, went to the toilet 2 times a day, jumped, ran, played. The only thing was that at night I periodically snored, sniffled, and sighed heavily a couple of times. A year before this, ICD was diagnosed , but we were treated and there were no more attacks, he was sitting on a special veterinary feed. Tell me what could have happened to him and whether I could have provided any help at that moment. At 7 in the morning, when everything happened, all the veterinarians were still closed, and at 8, when we got to the reception, he was pronounced dead

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