Other cats may experience the following: Abnormal heart sounds such as murmur, arrhythmia, or gallop rhythm, Cool extremities (cat is cold to the touch), Respiratory changes such as increased respiratory rate, open mouth breathing, panting, labored breathing, and cough (rarely), Sudden hind limb paresis or paralysis, most often caused by a saddle thrombus (clot) and accompanied with pain and vocalization, Weak pulses, felt on the inside of the cats thighs. Your vet may recommend chest x-rays, to visualize the size and shape of your cats heart, as well as other structures in your cats thorax (chest). Veterinary-formulated diets help with healthy and safe weight reduction in cats, such as Hills Prescription Diet Metabolic, Royal Canin Satiety Support Weight Management, and Purina Overweight Management. This condition is caused by blood clots that travel to the lower portion of the cats body and cause sudden paralysis in the hind legs. Congenital heart disease. Treating obesity as a chronic, low-level inflammatory condition is the new approach. Can Smart Technology Help With Cat Weight Loss. The atria serve as receptacles for blood entering the heart, from the lungs on the left side and the body on the right side. These viruses have different causes and possible therapies, but weight loss is a common symptom of all three. Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is the second most common form of heart muscle disease in cats. Yeah, if you'd been on the verge of nausea for weeks, if not months, preceding your diagnosis without anyone noticing you'd probably manage to lose a significant percentage of your body mass, too. Often the cause is unknown, but its more common in some pedigreed cat breeds, including Maine Coon cats, and Ragdolls, suggesting a genetic cause in some cases. A very low dose of aspirin or a medication calledclopidogrel (brand name Plavix in the US) may be used if blood clotting is a problem. However, in some nutritional issues or medical conditions, muscle is lost instead. Underlying causes Although in the majority of cases of heart disease in cats the underlying cause is unknown, there are various potential recognised causes, and your vet may need to investigate some of these. Heart disease in cats does not necessarily need treatment. This is much easier than trying to measure body fat. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Weight loss can be caused by many different problems, such as: Worms Dental disease Hyperthyroidism Stress Lack of food Kidney disease Diabetes Other illness - such as liver disease, pancreatitis, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, viral infections such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV). Your veterinary team can guide you through this process. Unfortunately, resolution of an underlying heart disease is not possible in many cats, so it can only be managed as best as possible. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. A diagnosis of heart disease in your cat can be worrying. Prognostic Indicators in Cats with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Symptoms of cat heart failure can fall into mild, moderate or severe categories. First and foremost, it must be palatable to your cat meaning your cat likes the taste, smell, and texture of the food and eats it well. In order to treat your cats weight loss, its important for veterinarians to identify the cause of the weight loss. He graduated with a certificate in Sign up for weekly pet health tips and insights from our veterinarians. Rapid breathing goes along with strained or difficulty breathing and has very similar root causes. Providing a relatively stress-free lifestyle for your cat is important, as is monitoring for changes in her behavior, appetite, and breathing rate. Its important to follow your veterinarians guidelines for rechecks and follow-up testing to ensure your cat is on the best course of therapy. For cats with heart failure, the time frame is roughly three to 18 months. 10 things you can't forget when your cat's got chronic renal disease There are three main types: Without enough protein, fat and other nutrients, senior cats lose muscle and start to look scrawny. In addition, diets low in sodium such as Royal Canin Renal Support are typically recommended. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common type of feline heart disease, accounting for around 60% of cases. Testing for this condition is available through a DNA/genetics test. In this disease, the left ventricular muscle walls become thickened. A cat with a heart that is not working properly may be very weak and lethargic. Your vet will guide you in choosing the best treatment. A cat with a heart condition may have other signs of ill health, such as increased lung sounds, rapid respiratoryrate, ascites (fluid buildup in the abdomen), weakness of the hind limbs, changes in the eyes due to altered blood pressure, and other abnormalities. Dr. Michael Kearley graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. This means heart disease develops in a previously healthy cat, with problems such as cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease) and valves that degenerate and start to leak. The "Silent Killer": Symptoms of Heart Disease in Cats Signs of heart disease include dullness, inappetence, reduced activity, difficulty breathing, coughing, swollen abdomen and others, depending on the precise type of disease. Some cats, especially those who exhibit begging behaviors and are less active, may benefit from remaining on the weight loss diet long-term with slightly higher meal portions for maintenance. Affected cats may begin to develop problems as early as three months of age, while less affected cats show signs of heart failure by two to four years of age. There are two types of weight loss: total body mass and lean body mass, or muscle. If an extra-cardiac cause of heart disease is suspected (such as anemia or hyperthyroidism), a blood sample may be taken for laboratory analysis to measure routine biochemistries, as well as specific tests, such as thyroid hormone levels. An echocardiogram, or ultrasound of the heart, is considered the best diagnostic tool, as it can determine the ventricle wall thickness, pressures within the heart, valve conformation and ability, and presence of clots. 2. With advancing disease and declining exercise tolerance, cats tend to become more withdrawn, hide under furniture and sleep more. Acquired heart disease. Do you have another cat or dog in the house? This type of congenital heart disease may only affect a single kitten in the litter. If you notice your older cat losing weight, speak with your veterinarian right away and make an appointment for a health assessment. As the muscle walls thicken, they become less elastic and less able to relax, preventing the ventricles from filling up with adequate blood. Cardiac Cachexia: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment - WebMD Unclassified cardiomyopathy (UCM) is used as a catch-all term for those diseases that do not fit into any specific category. Make the appointment now. Treatment options for feline heart disease include a wide range of medications, including: Oxygen therapy is helpful for any cat in respiratory distress, which is common in cats when they present with heart disease. This is a sobering statistic, as it was always accepted that heavy dogs lived a shorter time than lean dogs, but only by about 6-12 months. In fact, 15 percent of cats over 12 years old have a low body condition, meaning they do not have enough muscle or weigh less than they should. This will cause malnourishment over time.". There are therapeutic cat foods available for cats with heart disease to slow the disease's progression. Prevalence of cardiomyopathy in apparently healthy cats. It is a normal aging process to lose muscle as well as a little body weight overall. Below are examples of mild symptoms of cat heart failure: One of the earliest symptoms of heart disease and heart failure in cats is appetite loss. Is the food dish up high on a counter? Required fields are marked *. Many owners of pets with heart disease find that their dog or cat's overall intake of food decreases. Here are some things that can help older cats gain weight: Medications: Most of the diseases that cause weight loss can be treated or managed with medications. Appetite stimulants: Appetite stimulants are medications that increase a cats appetite. Prognosis can vary depending on when the heart disease is identified, what the condition is, and how effective treatment is. Pet parents should never assume weight loss in a senior cat is normal until they have spoken with their veterinarian. Heart disease is less common in cats than in dogs. It is the only method to differentiate the different types of heart disease. If . A severe form of heart muscle disease (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) is seen in some Maine Coon cats. Sign up today to manage records in one place. Cats are considered obese when they weigh more than 20% above their ideal body weight. Your cat needs a daily amount of about 3.5 to 4.5 ounces of water per 5 pounds of their body weight. Once the new food has been selected and the new portions are determined, it is critical that you be consistent with feeding portions and meal frequency and resist the temptation to provide extra snacks. 3 moderate symptoms of cat heart failure are: Difficulty breathing occurs when cats hearts are not pumping the right way anymore. Rarer causes include neoplasia (cancer of the heart). Most veterinarians will recommend bloodwork and urine testing to evaluate how well your cats organs are functioning. Muscle loss is tougher to identify but is easiest to tell when running your hand down the spine of your cat. Diuretics, which help clear excess fluids built up due to poor circulation. 2. This might be the result of worsening heart disease or side effects of certain medications. Although signs of congenital disease are often seen at a young age, in some cases congenital heart disease can go undetected for many years. This breed also has a high incidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. There are two situations when an owner may become aware of heart disease. Unfortunately, for some cats, the only symptom is sudden death. The diagnosis and treatment plan will vary depending on the kind and stage of cancer suspected. One study concluded that the average survival time for cats with HCM is about five to six years. Lifespan is variable, as some cats with heart disease can experience a normal life and then die from an unrelated condition. What does weight loss look like in senior cats and when should you discuss your cats weight with your veterinarian? Cats experienced an average of 8.9% weight loss in the 12 months prior to diagnosis of CKD. In addition, diets low in sodium such as Royal Canin Renal Support are typically recommended. Mostly seen in older cats, an overactive thyroid gland increases a cat's metabolic rate, leading to weight loss. The ductus arteriosus shunts blood away from the lungs during prenatal life, and normally closes at birth. Dr Pete Wedderburn qualified as a vet from Edinburgh in 1985 and has run his own 4-veterinarian companion animal practice in County Wicklow, Ireland, since 1991. Speak with your veterinarian about what supplements are best for your cat. The thickening that occurs can also lead to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) as well as the development of clots. As a cat owner, you should be aware of the following heart disease signs. The heart is the most important organ in your cat's body. Ace inhibitors affect blood vessels, causing widening, which makes it easier for blood to be pumped through the circulation, lessening the stress on the heart. "It isNOTappropriate to simply reduce the volume of their current food. Grain free diets may result in a deficiency of these essential nutrients. Because the heart is a muscle, doing any work outside of its normal job causes it to thicken and become enlarged. How to Retrain Your Cat to Use the Litterbox in 5 Simple Steps. Hyperthyroidism. Dr. Emily Swiniarski is Medical Director of Anti-Cruelty Society in Chicago, Illinois. Malcolm Weir, DVM, MSc, MPH; Krista Williams, BSc, DVM; Robin Downing, DVM, CVPP, CCRP, DAAPM. Many different forms of cancer can cause weight loss. If you cant recall when your cat started to lose weight, and the changes in appearance are subtle, the weight loss has likely been a gradual process. 8:30am Traditional Worship Hour - July 23, 2023 - Facebook 1. In North America, obesity is the most commonpreventabledisease in cats and is one of the most common overall. Plus, these carbohydrate sources cost more. Its important to follow your veterinarians guidelines for rechecks and follow-up testing to ensure your cat is on the best course of therapy.
