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Section: Overview
Heart murmurs are auscultatory sounds created by turbulent or disturbed blood flow through the heart or vasculature. They can be heard over any region of the heart and can be associated with a variety of causes. Murmurs can be caused by congenital malformations of the heart, acquired heart disease, or by other diseases that can affect the heart but are not caused by an underlying heart disease. Murmurs can indicate abnormal heart valve, heart muscle disease, a congenital patency (an abnormal opening) between sides of the heart, anemia, heartworm disease, abnormal thyroid function, or be "functional" which does not indicate heart disease. Some murmurs heard in kittens will disappear as the pet ages (usually < 4 months). Murmurs are often classified based by their location, timing, duration, character and grade. For example:
Anemia is defined as a low red blood cell count. Anemia can be caused by a number of different processes, including blood loss, red blood cell destruction, and inadequate red blood cell production.
The primary causes of obesity in cats are overeating and lack of exercise. When regular caloric intake exceeds the energy burned, the excess is stored as fat on your cat.
Heartworm disease is a serious and fatal disease of the heart and lungs caused by a parasite, Dirofilaria immitis, that is transmitted by mosquitoes. Adult cats of any age can be affected, with cats as...
A fever is an abnormally high body temperature, usually over 103 degrees, which is usually in response to bacterial or viral infections and may be the first indication of underlying illness.
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