Heart failure in cats

In cats, as in humans, heart failure is a serious condition that, without qualified assistance, can lead to the death of the animal.

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

Today we'll tell you in detail about the main symptoms and treatments for heart failure in cats.

Features of heart failure in cats

For various reasons, a pet's heart may sometimes fail to perform all of its functions. This leads to a "failure" in the functioning of the entire body.

Interesting! Cats suffer from acute heart failure less frequently than humans. This is due to their diet and the specific biochemical processes in their body.

Typically, in cats and dogs, the development of heart failure is associated with a whole range of disorders, as an abnormal heart rhythm disrupts blood circulation throughout the body.

The condition is more common in animals over six years of age. However, symptoms can sometimes appear in kittens as young as six months. Therefore, it's a mistake to assume that only older animals suffer from heart failure. Even owners of young puppies and kittens can be diagnosed with this devastating condition, and there are a number of possible causes.

There are several types of heart failure in cats.

• Depending on the course of the disease, there is acute and chronic heart failure;
• They also talk about a congenital or acquired disease;
• In addition, heart problems can be primary and secondary (arising after infectious diseases).

It's also worth knowing that certain breeds are predisposed to developing cardiovascular diseases. Large cat breeds (such as Maine Coons and others) are more susceptible to developing cardiovascular diseases than others.

Causes of heart failure

The causes of heart failure in cats can be very diverse, but most often the pathology is triggered by 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, primarily affecting the ventricular myocardium. This leads to a decrease in ventricular volume. As a result, there's less blood in the ventricle, but the body needs oxygen! Therefore, the myocardium has to contract more frequently and rests less. But rest is essential. This leads to muscle fatigue, which leads to heart failure in dogs and cats.

Dilated cardiomyopathy

In this type of heart failure in cats and dogs, the ventricular wall stretches rather than thickens. Despite the increased ventricular volume and the abundance of blood in the heart, normal cardiac function is still impaired. The myocardium cannot contract fully, thereby ejecting all the blood from the ventricle. Some of it "stagnates," further stretching the walls.

Restrictive

In this case, the muscles are as stiff as wood, barely stretching. Their elasticity is lost. And, despite the fact that the ventricular volume remains unchanged, the myocardium cannot function properly due to the loss of elasticity.

Intermediate

This is a very complex type of cardiomyopathy. This is because it is not always easy to diagnose, as changes from different types of cardiomyopathy are intertwined.

At-risk groups

Those at risk for developing cardiomyopathy include:

1. Cats and dogs over 6 years old. This is all simply explained by the fact that organs "tire" over a lifetime and become "targets" for infectious disease pathogens. And the heart experiences increased stress.
2. Large breed animals. This characteristic is due to the fact that the heart, like a pump, needs to pump a large amount of blood under high pressure.
3. Representatives of miniature breeds. Their miniature hearts have to beat at a much higher rate, which wears out the heart muscle faster.
4. Animals that have recovered from infectious diseases, as well as those suffering from high blood pressure or an overactive thyroid gland.
5. Cats and dogs after severe treatment (many medications can cause complications with the heart)
6. Having a genetic predisposition (that 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 animal's age.

Kittens

The most common cause of heart failure in kittens is a congenital heart defect. Typically, this condition may not cause any symptoms during the first months of life.

The following symptoms in a kitten should be a cause for concern:

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

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

Adult male and female cats

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

• intense thirst;
• rapid weight gain;
• "cardiac cough", which often occurs at night;
• wheezing when breathing;
• vomiting (sometimes occurs during severe coughing fits).

Chronic heart failure in catsThe condition develops gradually. Symptoms don't appear all at once and progress slowly. Therefore, even the most attentive owners may not notice the condition right away. Swelling of the limbs and the dewlap area is common.

Elderly animals

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

The first cause for serious concern would be:

• unsteady gait;
• loss of orientation in space;
• frequently recurring fainting spells;
• almost constant "heart cough".

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

Diagnostics

To ensure successful treatment, diagnosis must be performed by an experienced veterinary cardiologist. The following is required for diagnosis:

1. Collecting a complete medical history (information about the pet from the owner). It's important to be prepared and provide the veterinarian with detailed, comprehensive information. It's best to bring this information to the appointment in writing to avoid missing important details about your pet's health and vital functions.
2. Listening, palpation and other visual examination methods.
3. Blood pressure measurement. Low readings usually indicate serious heart problems.
4. ECG.
5. Ultrasound of the heart.
6. Chest X-ray.
7. Blood and urine tests.

Important! If a cat or kitten is diagnosed with heart failure, the animal is prohibited from breeding.

For cats, the process of pregnancy and birth itself can be dangerous, as it places significant strain on the cardiovascular system. Male cats are sedated due to the high risk 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, it may die suddenly.

You need to act measuredly but quickly, as follows:

• lay the animal with its head on its side;
• remove the tongue from the mouth;
• apply a cool compress prepared in advance to the cat’s head;
• try to bring the animal back to its senses by holding a cotton ball soaked in ammonia to its nose;
• In this case, the paws should be kept above the head to increase the 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 worsen the course of the disease, but also lead to the death of the animal! The cause of the malaise must be determined!

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

If acute heart failure is diagnosed, treatment for your 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 preparations, anticoagulants, etc.);
• symptomatic and supportive therapy;
• pumping out fluid that accumulates in body cavities (when diuretics are insufficiently effective).

Unfortunately, with this diagnosis, the animal will require lifelong supportive care. Even after the acute danger has passed, these cats still need:

• stress minimization;
• correct activity regime;
• 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's essential to strictly follow all doctor's orders and recommendations. Even the slightest deviation from the treatment plan will negate any progress toward restoring heart rhythm. Taking medications for too long can also, in some cases, be dangerous to your health.

Prevention of heart failure

How to act to never encounter this disease?

1. Make sure that affected cats do not produce offspring.
2. When choosing a pet, check its pedigree for registered cases of heart abnormalities, and if any are discovered, do not buy a “pig in a poke.”

But even a healthy animal requires care, ensuring it eats a balanced diet and leads an active lifestyle. A balanced amount of nutrients will help avoid obesity in pets, often observed in lazy neutered cats, which require closer monitoring. Regular walks and outdoor playtime also help prevent obesity, as they are also beneficial for the respiratory and, therefore, cardiovascular systems.

Furthermore, cardiac problems can worsen in adult cats after general anesthesia. Therefore, the animal must be thoroughly examined before undergoing any surgery involving general anesthesia.

The survival rate of a cat with heart failure depends solely on the severity of the heart damage and the quality of veterinary care provided to the animal. Self-medication is extremely dangerous. Incorrectly prescribed medications can lead to the development of edema lungs, which, combined with heart failure, leads to death. It's important to understand that medications for treating a cat or dog with heart failure will need to be administered for the rest of the pet's life.

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

Any questions? You can ask our website's staff veterinarian in the comments below, who will answer them as quickly as possible.

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