Small animal Cardiology

Question 1

Feline DCM

Answer 1

• Most common cause = Dietary taurine deficiency
• Spontaneous DCM = rare
• Breeds - siamese / Burmese/ Abyssinian
• Dx + Rx - similar to dogs
• Px - POOR - most present once in heart failure ; can survive if responsive to taurine and live through hospitalization

Question 2

Feline Pericardial Effusion

Answer 2

uncommon in cats, unless manifestation of heart failure

Question 3

Feline Heartworms

Answer 3

CS - ** vomiting** , intermittent cough, increased RR, sudden death

DDX - feline asthma, allergic bronchitis, other causes of vomiting

Test - Rads ( lung pattern )

    - Antigen test ( false - due to either male only infection or immature female infection ) 
    - Antibody test ( positive only means an infection occurred once before ) 
    - Ultrasound ( may see worm in pulmonary artery )

Tx - DO NOT give Melarsomine
- Prednisolone ( to help with lung changes )

Px - Guarded ( sudden death) –> fair

Question 4

Feline A-fib

Answer 4

Usually seen in cats with advanced cardiomyopathy

Question 5

HCM/ thromboembolism ( presentation )

Answer 5

males > females
Maine coons and ragdolls
often no CS, no murmur, no arrhythmias, die actually

Cs- mild tachypnea, dyspnea, inability to use back legs, pulmonary edema, pleural effusion

• decompensated cats with CHF = hypothermic

Question 6

HCM ddx:

Answer 6

lower airway dz
other non-cariogenic causes of pleural effusion (idiopathic chylothorax)
hyperthyroid

Question 7

HCM tx

Answer 7

support oxygen

atenolol ( if LV outflow obstruction seen via ECHO )

CHF –> loop diuretics for life +/- pimobendaan

Clopidogrel ( if marked atrial enlargement +/or echo contrast in LA ) —> prevents thromboembolism