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Heart
and Circulatory Disorders
Some cats born with heart defects show no
symptoms until later in life, when there is
increased stress on the heart and circulatory
system. Heart disease usually occurs in
middle-aged cats (6-8 years old) often as a result
of another condition such as hyperthyroidism or
kidney disease. Many symptoms of heart disease
(lack of energy and appetite, decreased activity,
long rest periods) are overlooked because they are
also symptoms of normal old age.
More obvious
symptoms are a tendency to lie flat on the
breastbone and reluctance to move from that
position. Your cat may pant or breathe with its
mouth open due to fluid building up in his chest
leaving less room for his lungs to expand. His
hind limbs may be suddenly paralyzed, his paws
will be unusually cool because they have a poorer
blood supply. In extreme cases, lack of oxygen
supply gives him a bluish-gray tongue and/or gums
and he loses consciousness after mild exercise
(including walking).
The most common form, cardiomyopathy, causes
the heart muscle to enlarge or thicken. This
causes a strain on the heart which beats faster to
compensate. As the heart loses its ability to pump
blood, other organs are affected due to poor blood
pressure. Fluid leaks out of the lungs and
accumulates in the chest causing respiratory
symptoms. Parts of the body furthest from the
heart (the paws) feel cool and may be pale due to
poor blood supply. Your cat will be generally
lethargic and may even faint. Heart disease is
serious; a number of modern drugs may improve the
condition temporarily though these do not work for
all cats.
Anemia (lack of iron in the blood) is common in
older cats. There are many causes including
parasites, poor diet, internal bleeding etc.
Anemia is easily detected by blood tests and
treatment includes detecting and treating the
cause as well as treating the anemia itself.
Potassium, present in blood and cells, is
essential especially for muscle cells including
the heart. Lack of potassium causes severe muscle
weakness. Milk lack of potassium (mild
hypokalaemia) in older cats is associated with
lethargy and low activity levels, poor appetite,
poor coat and mild anemia.
Thromboembolism (blood clots) can occur in cats
of all ages for a variety of reasons. Saddle
Thrombus is more common in older cats and is often
referred to as a "stroke" as the effects
resemble a stroke. It occurs when a blood clot
blocks the artery serving the hind legs at the
point where the artery forks into two branches.
This can cause severe damage to the hind limbs due
to a temporary or permanent loss of oxygenated
blood. If the clot moves and your cat recovers,
there will be fragments of the clot in the
bloodstream and these may hit the lungs, heart or
brain. After saddle thrombus, a cat may be left
with a characteristic hock-walking gait due to
muscle damage. Some cats have a good quality of
life for several years under veterinary treatment.
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