Aortic Thromboembolism occurs in felines and is an occlusion of a systemic artery by clot. This can occur secondary to heart disease or cancer. Clinical signs involve pain, paralysis, difficulty or labored breathing, and the affected limb feels cold. Diagnostic testing includes bloodwork, thyroid bloodwork, x-rays, blood pressure assessment, coagulation blood panel, cardiac ultrasound, and electrocardiogram. Therapy involves pain management, supportive care, oxygen therapy, treatment of underlying heart disease, and clot dissolution.
Arrhythmias is an irregular heart beat as a result of heart or systemic disease. Clinical signs may include difficulty or labored breathing, fainting, anorexia, or lethargy. Diagnosis is based on physical examination, bloodwork, x-rays, electrocardiogram, and cardiac and/or abdominal ultrasound. Treatment depends on the underlying cause and type of arrythmia, but may include oral medications, placement of a pacemaker, or abdominal surgery.
Atrial Septal Defect is a congenital defect of the heart where there is a communication between the left and right atrium through the septum. There may be no clinical signs, or difficulty breathing, fainting, anorexia, or lethargy may be present. Diagnosis is based on the presence of a murmur, and may include testing in the form of chest x-rays, cardiac ultrasound, electrocardiogram, bloodwork, and arterial blood gas analysis. Treatment may include oral medications and, rarely, surgical repair.
Boxer Cardiomyopathy is an inherited heart abnormality of boxer dogs causing ventricular arrythmias. Clinical signs include weakness, exercise intolerance, weakness, collapse, sudden death, or, less commonly signs of congestive heart failure. This condition is diagnosed by electrocardiogram and Holter monitor. Treatment involves oral medication to reduce the frequency and severity of the arrythmias.
Cardiogenic Pulmonary Edema, or Congestive Heart Failure, occurs when fluid from the vessels builds up in interstitial and alveolar space of the lungs as a result of left-sided heart disease. Clinical signs include a dry progressive cough, difficulty or rapid breathing, open mouth breathing in cats, weakness, lethargy, decreased appetite, and collapse. The condition is diagnosed with auscultation of a heart murmur and pulmonary crackles or wheezes on exam, chest x-rays, bloodwork, urine analysis, heart ultrasound, and electrocardiogram. Therapy is directed at stabilizing the patient with oxygen therapy and diuretics. Long-term therapy includes oral medications to improve heart function and to prevent pulmonary fluid accumulation.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy is heart enlargement and failure of the heart to pump properly that occurs secondarily to heart disease. Clinical signs include dry progressive cough, difficulty or fast breathing, open mouth breathing in cats, weakness, lethargy, decreased appetite, and collapse. The condition is diagnosed with auscultation of a heart murmur and pulmonary crackles or wheezes (if congestive heart failure is also present) on exam, chest x-rays, bloodwork, urine analysis, heart ultrasound, and electrocardiogram. Therapy is directed at stabilizing the patient with oxygen therapy and diuretics, if indicated. Long-term therapy includes oral medications to improve heart function and to prevent pulmonary fluid accumulation.
Endocarditis is inflammation or infection of the endocardium of the heart. This can occur secondarily to a bacterial infection (bacterial endocarditis) or vegetation deposits (vegetative endocarditis). Clinical signs include auscultation of a heart murmur on exam, fever, general malaise, and lameness. Diagnosis is made with bloodwork, blood cultures, urine analysis, chest x-rays, heart ultrasound, and electrocardiogram. Treatment includes oral antibiotic medication and may also include anticoagulant therapy for prevention of clot formation.
Heart Base Tumor is any mass located at the base of the heart and is associated with the ascending aorta and the pulmonary trunk. Clinical signs typically occur as a result of fluid accumulation in the sac surrounding the heart (pericardial effusion). These include lethargy, cough, difficulty and fast breathing, weakness, exercise intolerance, decreased appetite, weight loss, abdominal distention, and collapse. The condition is diagnosed based on auscultation of muffled heart sounds, chest and abdominal x-rays, bloodwork, urine analysis, heart ultrasound, electrocardiogram, and cytology of the mass. Treatment is directed at relieving the pericardial effusion through pericardiocentesis or pericardectomy. Rarely, are these masses removed due to the extensive involvement of the major vessels.
Heartworm Disease is an infestation of the heart with the intravascular worm, Dirofilaria immitis. This condition occurs as a result of transmission from female mosquitoes, which serve as intermediate hosts. Mosquitoes feed on microfiliaria positive dogs or cats. The microfiliara then go through larval stages in the mosquito to become L3 larvae which then infect another dog or cat during subsequent meal feedings. The L3 larvae then migrate to the pulmonary artery of the heart and become adult worms. These worms grow and accumulate causing an obstruction of blood flow which can lead to dilation of the heart and congestive heart failure. Therapy is directed at preventing the L3 larvae from becoming adult worms. This is accomplished with regularly administered heartworm preventive medication.
Canine Heartworm Disease: Clinical signs in dogs include cough, exercise intolerance, lethargy, weight loss, collapse, and abdominal distention. This condition is diagnosed by performing a heartworm antigen test, microfilaria testing, bloodwork, chest x-rays, and/or electrocardiography. Treatment involves killing the adult worms in the heart with a series of melarsomine injections. Additional therapies include regularly administered heartworm prevention, oral steroids to decrease the inflammation, and oral antibiotics to treat the bacteria associated with the heartworm. There are a series of tests following treatment to confirm resolution of the disease.
Feline Heartworm Disease: Cats may or may not exhibit clinical signs. If so, they include cough, difficulty breathing, vomiting, decreased appetite, weight loss, lethargy, exercise intolerance, and abdominal distention (rarely). Unlike dogs, heartworm disease is difficult to diagnose in cats due to the lower worm burden and microfilaria counts. Therefore, heartworm antigen and microfilaria testing may provide false negative results. Diagnostic testing may include bloodwork, heartworm antigen and antibody testing, chest x-rays, and cardiac ultrasound. Cardiac ultrasound yields better results for a definitive diagnosis. Treatment in cats is different than in dogs because melarsomine is toxic to cats. Therefore, therapy usually involves steroids, antibiotics, and/or anticoagulation medication. Surgical extraction of the worms is a consideration, but is rarely performed.
Hemangiosarcoma is a malignant tumor of vascular origin that involves the heart as a primary or metastatic site which commonly causes fluid to build up in the sac surrounding the heart (pericardial effusion). Clinical signs include general malaise, lethargy, decreased appetite, exercise intolerance, abdominal distention, and collapse. Diagnosis includes ausculting muffled heart sounds, bloodwork, chest and abdominal x-rays, cardiac and abdominal ultrasound, and cytology of pericardial fluid. Treatment targets removing the pericardial fluid with pericardiocentesis or pericardectomy. Removal of the tumor is rarely performed due to most cases having pulmonary metastasis at the time of diagnosis.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is a type of heart disease in the cat that is characterized by increased wall thickness of the left ventricle. This can occur as a genetic predisposition or secondary to other conditions, such as, hyperthyroidism. Clinical signs may or may not be present. When present, they may include difficulty or rapid breathing, open mouth breathing, lethargy, decreased appetite, vomiting, lameness or inability to move extremity, or sudden death. Diagnostic testing involves bloodwork (including thyroid testing), urine analysis, blood pressure testing, chest x-rays, cardiac ultrasound, and electrocardiogram. Treatment may include oral medication to treat the underlying cause, aid in heart function, decrease fluid accumulation in the lungs, and decrease tendency for clot formation.
Patent Ductus Arteriosus is a persistent communication between the aorta and pulmonary artery that normally closes within the first 24 hours of birth. The condition is suspected based on examination during puppy or kitten visit. It is confirmed with cardiac ultrasound. Clinical signs may or may not be present. If present, they include exercise intolerance, failure to thrive, dry cough, difficulty or rapid breathing, open mouth breathing in cats, weakness, lethargy, decreased appetite, and collapse. Treatment involves closure of the communication surgically by ligation or coil placement. If left untreated, the condition progresses to congestive heart failure.
Pericardial Effusion is the accumulation of fluid in the sac surround the heart (pericardial sac). It can occur secondary to cancer, left atrial rupture, congestive heart failure, infection, ingestion of rodenticide, or unknown cause. Clinical signs include exercise intolerance, dry cough, difficulty or rapid breathing, open mouth breathing in cats, weakness, lethargy, decreased appetite, and collapse. The condition is diagnosed by ausculting muffled heart sounds, bloodwork, chest and abdominal x-rays, cardiac and abdominal ultrasound, and cytology of pericardial fluid. Treatment targets removing the pericardial fluid with pericardiocentesis, pericardectomy, and addressing the underlying cause.
Pericarditis is inflammation of the pericardium as a result of infection or chronic inflammatory disease. Clinical signs can include lethargy, episodic weakness, exercise intolerance, difficulty or rapid breathing, collapse, fever, and ascites. Diagnosis is made by bloodwork, cardiac ultrasound, electrocardiogram, and cytology and culture of effusion (if present). Treatment involves antibiotic medication and removal of effusion, if present. Subtotal pericardectomy may also be performed to prevent further accumulation of pericardial fluid.
Pulmonary Hypertension is increased pulmonary artery pressure with or without a known underlying cause. This leads to exercise intolerance, difficulty breathing, collapse, abdominal distention, or rear limb weakness. Diagnostic testing includes bloodwork, heartworm blood testing, chest x-rays, fecal testing, cardiac ultrasound, and electrocardiogram. Treatment includes oxygen therapy, specific treatment for an underlying cause, oral anti-hypertensive medication.
Pulmonary Thromboembolism occurs when there is an occlusion of a pulmonary artery or arteriole by thrombus. This condition is considered a medical emergency. Clinical signs can include a sudden onset of difficulty or rapid breathing, cough, exercise intolerance, and abdominal distention. Diagnostic testing involves bloodwork, heartworm blood testing, urine analysis, plasma D-dimer testing, chest x-rays, cardiac ultrasound, and blood gas analysis. Treatment includes oxygen therapy, medication for thrombus dissolution, and specific treatment for the underlying cause.
Systemic Hypertension is elevation in the arterial blood pressure. In cats, this condition is most often secondary to kidney disease or hyperthyroidism. In dogs, it is most often associated with kidney disease, hyperadrenocorticism, diabetes mellitus, or pheochromocytoma. Clinical signs are related to the underlying cause and also may include lethargy, acute blindness, and neurologic signs. Diagnostic testing involves bloodwork, thyroid function testing, urine analysis, blood pressure testing, x-rays, and chest and abdominal ultrasound. Treatment is directed at the underlying cause and anti-hypertensive medication is prescribed.
Valvular Disease is the degeneration of the mitral and/or tricuspid valves of the heart as a result of fibrous tissue development. This causes the valves to close abnormally, leading to valvular regurgitation and eventually congestive heart failure. Clinical signs may or may not be present. These can include cough, lethargy, or exercise intolerance. Diagnosis is made following auscultation of a heart murmur, with x-rays and a cardiac ultrasound. Treatment includes oral medications.
Vascular Ring Anomaly is a congenital malformation of one or more parts of the aortic arch so that the vessels encircle the esophagus and trachea causing compression. The most common type is a persistent right aortic arch. Megaesophagus and aspiration pneumonia are secondary conditions associated with this condition. Clinical signs include regurgitation after eating, failure to thrive, cough, or respiratory distress. Diagnostic testing includes chest x-rays, bloodwork, and barium esophagram. Therapy is directed at dividing the vascular ring surgically and treating the regurgitation.
Ventricular Septal Defect is a congenital defect of the heart where there is a communication between the left and right ventricle through the septum. There may be no clinical signs, or difficulty breathing, fainting, anorexia, or lethargy may be present. Diagnosis is based on the presence of a murmur, and may include testing in the form of chest x-rays, cardiac ultrasound, electrocardiogram, bloodwork, and arterial blood gas analysis. Treatment may include oral medications and, rarely, surgical repair.