Section: Overview
Valvular heart disease (VHD) is a condition characterized by degeneration and thickening of the heart valves. Valvular heart disease is a progressive disease more common in dogs than cats.
VHD can affect a cat causing valve malfunction, which can lead to heart enlargement or heart failure with accumulation of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema) or the abdomen (ascites).
What to Watch For
Difficulty breathing
Exercise intolerance
Fainting
Coughing is rare in cats
Diagnosis
Veterinary care should include diagnostic tests and subsequent treatment recommendations. Diagnostic tests are needed to recognize VHD, and exclude other diseases, including:
Complete medical history and physical examination including auscultation (listening with a stethoscope).
Chest X-rays
An electrocardiogram (EKG), which is a record of the heart's electrical action
An echocardiogram (ultrasound) can confirm the diagnosis
Treatments for VHD may include one or more of the following:
Diuretics such as furosemide (Lasix)
Angiotensin inhibitors such as enalapril (Enacard) or benazepril may be prescribed
Positive inotropic drugs (increase contractions of cardiac muscles) such as digoxin (lanoxin) may be prescribed
Sodium (salt) restricted diet may be ordered
NOTE: Treatment or therapy is not consistently prescribed for mildly-affected cats.
Home Care and Prevention
Administer any prescribed medications and observe your cat's general activity level, appetite and interest. Watch your cat for labored breathing, cough or exercise intolerance.
If possible, learn to take a respiratory (breathing) rate when your cat is resting (ask your vet about this). Schedule veterinary visits to monitor the condition.
VHD is often a progressive disease and cannot be prevented. Regular veterinary examinations that include examination of the heart with a stethoscope can identify it in its earliest stages.
Related Articles
-
1
Atrial Fibrillation in Cats
In atrial fibrillation the normally coordinated electrical activity in the upper heart chambers, the right atrium and left atrium, is lost. The muscle of these chambers begins to wiggle like a "bag full...
» Read More
-
2
Congestive Heart Failure in Cats
Heart failure is a condition, caused by an abnormality in the structure or the function of the heart, in which it is unable to pump normal quantities of blood to the tissues of the body.
» Read More
-
3
Abdominal Distension in Cats
Abdominal distension is an abnormal enlargement of the abdominal cavity. This term is usually reserved for abdominal enlargement due to causes other than simple obesity, such as fluid accumulation.
» Read More
