Hello everyone, this is Dr. Oxygen Pet
Today I will post an article that all cat shovelers should read.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common type of feline cardiomyopathy in clinical practiceIt's like a ticking time bomb that can cause at any time.
HCM is often present as a subclinical symptom and can affect up to about 15% of domestic cats. Fortunately, only a small percentage of cats with HCM are severe enough to develop heart failure Arterial thromboembolism (ATE).
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common, accounting for up to 90%.
Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is less common.
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is rare.
Regardless of age, 15% of cats have HCM, i.e. 1 in 6 cats
Purebred cats can develop the disease at a young age, and most mixed-breed cats develop the disease a little older
Male and domestic shorthair cats have a higher prevalence
Most of them are subclinical, with no obvious clinical manifestations
Severe HCM can lead to heart failure, a poor prognosis, and poor outcomes
Although the disease is present in all breeds, it also has a breed predisposition.
High-incidence breeds include: Maine, Ragdoll, Norwegian Forest Cat, British Short, American Shorthair, German Text, Persian Cat, Exotic Shorthair, Scottish Fold Cat, etc.
Shortness of breath (more than 30 minutes). After heart failure in cats, pulmonary edema is most likely to be triggered by pleural effusion, resulting in shortness of breath and difficulty breathing;
Sudden weakness, listlessness, and some cats even appear lethargic and collapsed;
loss of appetite, exercise intolerance;
There are obvious signs of cyanosis (purple) of the mucosa of the mouth and tongue;
Some cats will show up without any warningFaintingSudden death
Echocardiology**: Echocardiography** is the gold standard for diagnosing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and provides a clear indication of the structure and function of the heart. However, there will be errors due to the equipment and the level of the doctor;
AuscultationBy auscultating the heart, veterinarians can understand the cat's heart sound quality, heart rate, and heart murmur;
ECG:An electrocardiogram can help detect the heart's electrical activity and assess heart function;
Chest X-ray:A chest x-ray can show the size and shape of the heart and can help diagnose hypertrophic cardiomyopathy;
BNP (N-terminal forebrain natriuretic peptide).: the best auxiliary diagnostic indicator. It is used for asymptomatic cardiac screening and differential diagnosis of respiratory diseases, and its elevation is positively correlated with the severity of heart failure, and a negative heart failure can be ruled out.
Genetic testing:OnlyRagdolls and MaineGenetic testing for HCM can be performed, but even if the genetic test is negative, it is necessary to be vigilant, and for non-Ragdoll and Maine breed cats, genetic testing is of little significance.
It is best to have a physical examination once a year for cats that have not become ill, and the physical examination items should at least be includedCardiac auscultationand, if possible, try to addCardiac ultrasound, conditional can be addedBNP assays.
Most cats with HCM have no obvious clinical symptoms and, although they have HCM, live normal or near-normal lives. However, there are also quite a few cats that will have obvious symptoms of heart failure or ate and need**.
First of all, veterinarians are definitely more professional than parents, and if the distance is closer, it is best to send them to the hospital as soon as possible!
If it is too far away and can only be done at home, it is necessary to observe the cat's chest and abdomen ups and downs, assist breathing, pulse, hypoxia and other conditions to determine whether first aid is needed. Cardiac resuscitation is divided into 5 steps: conditioning, positioning, chest compressions, rescue breaths, and continuous monitoring.
Judge the situation
To check that the cat's breathing is normal, you can feel the cat's breathing by placing your hand on the cat's nostrils or chest.
If the cat is not breathing and does not have a noticeable pulse or heartbeat, CPR can be started.
Positioning
Lie on your right side with your left chest facing up, making sure your body is in a straight line.
Find the cat's heart location: between the third and sixth ribs, slightly to the left.
Chest compressions
Use the palm part of one or both hands to apply pressure to the cat's heart position to a depth of about 1 3 1 2 on the cat's chest.
The rate of compressions should be 100 120 compressions per minute, and after every 30 compressions, 2 rescue respirations should be given to the cat.
Artificial respiration
It is best to work with two people, one rescue breath and one chest compression.
First, make sure that the cat's mouth and mouth are closed;
Then, completely cover the cat's nose and blow with your mouth so that the cat's chest rises slightly.
2 people: every 3 chest compressions with 1 rescue breath.
1 person: every 5 chest compressions with 1 rescue breath.
The procedure lasts about 20 minutes, during which time you can get a taxi to the hospital as soon as possible and continue CPR operations on the way.
Continuous monitoring
Check your cat's heartbeat and breathing every 2 minutes.
If the cat's heartbeat and breathing are not restored within 20 minutes, it may be difficult to save its life, but CPR should be continued until the veterinarian recommends stopping.
Stress, fever, moderate to severe anemia, hyperthyroidism, anesthesia, surgery, trauma and infusions**, long-acting hormones, etc., can cause congestive heart failure or arterial thrombosis in previously stable cats.
In fact, most people do not get sick, and most live to be more than 10 years old.
In 10 years, 32% of the cases (thrombosis, heart failure, sudden death), and nearly 7% did not have the above conditions.
The median time from asymptomatic HCM to onset was 109 years. The disease occurs 2 days after diagnosis at the earliest, and only occurs 13 years at the latest.
At the end of the study, the oldest HCM cat was 14At the age of 7, similar to humans, as long as those 3 conditions do not occur after suffering from HCM, they can live for a long time. Of course, 147 years old also does not represent the upper limit of the life span of HCM cats
In addition to taking medication on time according to the doctor's instructions according to the situation, you should also pay attention to the following in your daily life:
1.Low-sodium diet
Excessive sodium intake can lead to sodium and water retention, increased circulatory pressure, and exacerbated decline in cardiac function. Therefore, excrement shovelers of HCM affected cats should pay attention to sodium intake in the daily diet of affected cats. In addition, the cat's water replenishment should also be paid attention to, neither too much nor too little.
Be careful with exercise
Excessive activity and stress can cause cats with heart failure to become suddenPulmonary edemaand other adverse consequences. The excrement shoveler should take care to limit the range of movement of the cat with HCM, and may need to choose a cage if necessary.
.Maintain the environment and avoid stress
Because of the cat'sPoor cardiopulmonary functionIt is necessary to provide a comfortable indoor environment, pay attention to ventilation and moisturizing, and avoid stuffiness in summer and dampness and cold in winter. At the same time, we should also pay attention to the enrichment of the environment and avoid stress!
4.Prompt medical evacuation
When the affected cat has severe symptoms such as shortness of breath, extreme pain, and sudden syncope, parents should send the affected cat to the hospital immediately!
1.Regular medical check-ups if possible. Especially for cats over 5 years old, it is recommended to do a comprehensive physical examination every year to detect atrial dilation in time and carry out thrombosis prevention work as soon as possible!
2.Before surgery (e.g., sterilization), a physical examination is done to reduce the risk of anesthesia.
3.Prevent stress, high-quality authors list to avoid triggering heart failure, stress is the root of all evil! 4.Control your weight and avoid obesity
5.Learn about the relevant knowledge, if you are suspected of heart failure (difficulty breathing, cold limbs), thrombosis (cold limbs, paralysis), send to the hospital immediately!
Even from now on, you start to notice the big demon HCM
Your kitten is still saved, and it is still possible to accompany you for a long time!