Heart Disease (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy) in Cats

The heart has four chambers: two chambers at the top, the right and left aorta; and two chambers on the bottom, the right and left ventricles. The left ventricle is responsible for receiving oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumping the blood out into the aortic valve, the main artery of the body, which feeds the oxygenated blood to all parts of the body. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) affects the left ventricle, and its functional ability to pump blood into the aorta. The normal, healthy left ventricle is already thicker than the right ventricle, owing to its greater workload in pumping blood out into the body. In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the muscle of the left ventricle is abnormally enlarged or thickened. A cat may have other diseases of the heart, but they will be independent of HCM.

There is an apparent genetic predisposition for this condition. Some families have had a high number of cases, particularly Maine coon cats, where a mutation that is associated with the disease was identified in one large family. The role of genetics has not been definitively determined in other families or breeds, although some association has been documented in American Shorthairs and Persians.

It occurs more often in cats five to seven years of age, although the age range of reported cases ranges from three months to 17 years, with most cases affecting males. Heart murmurs in older cats are generally caused by hyperthyroidism or hypertension rather than HCM.

Symptoms and Types

Loss of appetite (anorexia)

Lethargy

Weak pulse

Difficulty breathing

Short, rough, snapping breathing sounds (crackles)

Abnormal heart sounds (i.e., muffled, galloping rhythm, murmurs)

Inability to tolerate exercise or exertion

Sudden hind-limb paralysis with cold limbs due to clot in the terminal aorta

Bluish discoloration of foot pads and nailbeds (indicates a lack of oxygen flow to the legs)

Collapse

Sudden heart failure

Causes

The cause for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may remain unknown in many cases. However, genetic mutations and predispositions are known to lead to HCM in cats. And though not a direct cause of the condition, hypertension and/or hyperthyroidism can further complicate HCM in cats.

Diagnosis

You will need to provide a thorough history of your pet's health leading up to the onset of symptoms, including any information you have about your cat's genetic background.

An electrocardiogram (or EKG) recording can be used to examine the electrical currents in the heart muscles, and may reveal any abnormalities in cardiac electrical conduction (which underlies the heart’s ability to contract/beat), and can also help your veterinarian to determine the origin of the abnormal heart rhythms, if they are present. However, an ECG may not be adequate for a definitive diagnosis. Radiograph and echocardiograph (ultrasound) imaging will be more useful for visually examining the heart for enlargement or thickening of the walls, or for thickening of the mitral valve (which controls the flow of blood between the left ventricle and the left atrium). Other conditions will need to be either ruled out of confirmed before your doctor settles on HCM. There are two conditions, which are especially likely to mimic HCM, that your cat will be checked for. Your cat will need to have its blood pressure checked in order to rule out hypertension, and the blood will be tested for high levels of thyroid hormones. Hyperthyroidism will exhibit may of the same symptoms as HCM, such as lethargy, short breath, and irregular heart rhythm.

 Treatment

If there is a diagnosis of HCM, your cat will be hospitalized for appropriate care, especially if it is suffering from congestive heart failure, a common outcome of this disease. Your cat will be placed in a quiet environment to minimize stress, and if it is having trouble breathing it will be given oxygen therapy. If your cat’s body temperature is low, your veterinarian will warm the cat in blankets to gently raise the body temperature.

There are several possible medications that can be used to treat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy:

Diltiazim to slow the heart rate, treat irregular heart beats, and possibly reduce the enlargement in the left ventricle

Beta blockers to slow the heart rate, correct irregular heart beats, and control blockage of the blood flow. These are not used if the cat has congestive heart failure

Ace inhibitors, in cases with congestive heart failure, to improve the flow through the ventricle

Aspirin to decrease risk of blood clots

Warfarin to prevent blood clotting

Furosemide (diuretic) to remove excess fluid from the body

Spironolactone (a diuretic used sometimes in conjunction with furosemide) for cats with congestive heart failure

Nitroglycerin ointment, to improve flow by dilating (opening) the ventricle and arteries

Living and Management

The cat should be put on a sodium-restricted diet, especially if there is congestive heart failure, to keep the pressure in the blood stable. Providing a quiet and safe space for your cat, away from other pets and active children, is important to its recovery. Environmental stress may activate the nervous system, placing excess stress on the already overstressed left ventricle, and possibly leading to heart failure.

You will need to monitor your cat closely during the recovery period, watching for difficulty breathing, lethargy, weakness, lack of appetite, and painful hind-limb weakness or paralysis. If your cat is being treated with warfarin, its blood will need to be tested to determine whether the drug is effectively decreasing the likelihood of a blood clot. Use of warfarin can also lead to uncontrolled bleeding and bruising. You will need to take care that your cat is kept from activities that may lead to injury while it is on this drug. If your cat is taking an ACE inhibitor, or spironolactone, kidney function and electrolytes will need to be monitored. After six months, a repeat ultrasound examination of the heart will be required to determine progress, and whether further treatment will be required.

Jeffry wahyudi, DVM

Reference

http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/cardiovascular/c_ct_cardiomyopathy_hypertrophic?page=2

What Is Parvovirus?

What Is Parvovirus?

Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious viral disease that can produce a life-threatening illness. The virus attacks rapidly dividing cells in a dog’s body, most severely affecting the intestinal tract. Parvovirus also attacks the white blood cells, and when young animals are infected, the virus can damage the heart muscle and cause lifelong cardiac problems.

What Are the General Symptoms of Parvovirus?

The general symptoms of parvovirus are lethargy, severe vomiting, loss of appetite and bloody, foul-smelling diarrhea that can lead to life-threatening dehydration.

How Is Parvovirus Transmitted?

Parvovirus is extremely contagious and can be transmitted by any person, animal or object that comes in contact with an infected dog's feces. Highly resistant, the virus can live in the environment for months, and may survive on inanimate objects such as food bowls, shoes, clothes, carpet and floors. It is common for an unvaccinated dog to contract parvovirus from the streets, especially in urban areas where there are many dogs.

How Is Parvovirus Diagnosed?

Veterinarians diagnose parvovirus on the basis of clinical signs and laboratory testing. The Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbant Assay (ELISA) test has become a common test for parvovirus. The ELISA test kit is used to detect parvovirus in a dog’s stools, and is performed in the vet’s office in about 15 minutes. Because this test is not 100% sensitive or specific, your veterinarian may recommend additional tests and bloodwork.

Which Dogs Are Prone to Parvovirus?

Puppies, adolescent dogs and canines who are not vaccinated are most susceptible to the virus. The canine parvovirus affects most members of the dog family (wolves, coyotes, foxes, etc.). Breeds at a higher risk are Rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, Labrador retrievers, American Staffordshire terriers and German shepherds.

How Can Parvovirus Be Prevented?

You can protect your dog from this potential killer by making sure he’s up-to-date on his vaccinations. Parvovirus should be considered a core vaccine for all puppies and adult dogs. It is usually recommended that puppies be vaccinated with combination vaccines that take into account the risk factors for exposure to various diseases. One common vaccine, called a “5-in-1,” protects the puppy from distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus and parainfluenza.

Generally, the first vaccine is given at 6-8 weeks of age and a booster is given at four-week intervals until the puppy is 16-20 weeks of age, and then again at one year of age. A puppy’s vaccination program is not complete before four months of age. Older dogs who have not received full puppy vaccination series may be susceptible to parvovirus and should also receive at least one immunization. Consult with your veterinarian about how often your dog will need to be revaccinated.

Because parvovirus can live in an environment for months, you will want to take extra care if there has been an infected dog in your house or yard. Some things are easier to clean and disinfect than others—and even with excellent cleaning, parvovirus can be difficult to eradicate. Parvo is resistant to many typical disinfectants. A solution of one part bleach to 32 parts water can be used where organic material is not present. The infected dog’s toys, food dish and water bowl should be properly cleaned and then disinfected with this solution for 10 minutes. If not disinfected, these articles should be discarded. You can also use the solution on the soles of your shoes if you think you've walked through an infected area. Areas that are harder to clean (grassy areas, carpeting and wood, for example) may need to be sprayed with disinfectant, or even resurfaced.

How Can Parvovirus Be Treated?

Although there are no drugs available that can kill the virus yet, treatment is generally straightforward and consists of aggressive supportive care to control the symptoms and boost your dog’s immune system to help him win the battle against this dangerous disease. Dogs infected with parvovirus need intensive treatment in a veterinary hospital, where they receive antibiotics, drugs to control the vomiting, intravenous fluids and other supportive therapies. Should your dog undergo this treatment, be prepared for considerable expense—the average hospital stay is about 5-7 days.

Please note that treatment is not always successful—so it’s especially important to make sure your dog is vaccinated.

What Are Some Home Treatment Options?

Because parvovirus is such a serious disease, it is not recommended to attempt home treatment. Even with the best veterinary care, this disease is often fatal.

When Is it Time to See the Vet?

If you notice your dog experiencing severe vomiting, loss of appetite, depression or bloody diarrhea, contact your veterinarian immediately.

What Are Some Other Health Issues with These Same Symptoms?

A puppy with a bloody diarrhea could have a parasite problem, a virus other than parvovirus, a stress colitis, or may have eaten something that disagreed with him or injured and blocked his digestive tract. It’s crucial that you see your vet for an accurate diagnosis.

jeffry wahyudi, dvm

Reference

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/parvovirus

Thiamine deficiency in dogs

Thiamine deficiency in dogs can cause several problems with your pet's vessels as well as nerve damage. It can also cause your dog to become stressed in situations that otherwise would not bother them. Thiamine is considered an anti-stress vitamin because it helps to strengthen your dog's immune system and improves their ability to handle stressful situations.

If a deficiency of this vitamin becomes severe, it will lead to a loss of nerve controls, a loss of reflexes, and eventually cause the death of your dog.

Thiamine, Vitamin B1, is a member of the B class of water soluble vitamins and your dog's body does not store this vitamin, and as a result, your pet will need to get an adequate intake in their diet or by some type of a supplement. Because it is a water soluble vitamin it is virtually impossible to be toxic to your dog, even in very large doses. Excess of any of the water soluble vitamins is excreted in their urine.

Causes of Thiamine Deficiency:

Thiamine deficiency in your dog is most commonly caused by eating too much raw fish or raw meats in the diet. Raw fish is extremely dangerous, especially Herring, Smelt, or Catfish. Fish contains an ingredient known as thiaminase which is an enzyme that destroys thiamine.

Originally thought to be just a concern for cats, feeding your dog raw fish is as much, if not a bigger concern in dogs, simply because they eat more than cats. Raw meats are also dangerous to your dog. Not only is in deficient in thiamine, it is also very low in calcium. Raw meat also carries the treat of bacteria and parasites, especially those that can easily cause Salmonella poisoning in your dog.

Thiamine deficiency can also be caused by feeding your dog an unbalanced diet, or food that has been over processed. However, perhaps the largest single cause of this deficiency in your dog is by Sulfite's. Sulfite's are naturally occurring compounds that are helpful in preventing microbial growths and are used extensively on fruits to preserve their original color.

However, they are also used as preservatives in several commercial dog foods and they interfere with the absorption of thiamine in your dog's body. If you use commercial dog food, it is extremely important to look for brands that do not use this chemical as a preservative.

Symptoms:

There are several symptoms that you can watch for in your dog that they may be developing a thiamine deficiency. The first symptom will be a condition referred to as Ventroflexion. This is a condition where your dog's neck starts to bend in a downward position and the chin will start to lower and rest near the middle of their body instead of squared off.

Your dog will also start to walk with their weight placed on their back legs and they will quickly develop a gait. As the deficiency increases, their back legs will almost look like they are constantly in a crouched position with a much wider stance, and their back legs will also become very stiff.

The next symptom that you can watch for is Ataxia, which is a medical term that means without order. This is a very serious situation for your dog as they will start to show several different disturbances in their ability to control their body. They will start to walk in a very wobbly manner because they are losing their motor coordination. However, it can get much more serious.

Ataxia can also affect the nerves in the face and effect their eye movements. If you notice any type of abnormal eye movements, it is time to get them to your veterinarian as soon as possible. If severe enough, this condition can also affect your dog's brain.

If this is starting to happen you will see even more strange developments with your dog's eyes. The muscles surrounding their eyes will become paralyzed and as a result they will have very limited eye movement and the pupils will become fixed as well as dilated. At this stage, thiamine deficiency is now threatening the life of your dog.

There are also additional symptoms that can affect your dog with a deficiency of this vitamin and they may be as severe in some cases. Although Beriberi is thought to be solely a deficiency in humans, several of the same symptoms can affect your dog. This deficiency affects your dog's nervous system, and as a result it can cause tingling in their limbs the same as Beriberi affects humans

If you notice your dog starting to lick all of their feet almost in a chronic manner, it may be because they are having burning or tingling sensations; but unlike humans, they have no way of communicating it other than to licking them.

Treatment:

If your dog has developed a serious Thiamine deficiency, your veterinarian will immediately begin Thiamine injections for several days to several weeks, depending on the severity.

If you do feed your dog raw fish or raw meat on any type of a regular basis, you will need to immediately stop. You will also need to check very closely the type of food you are buying if you use commercial food and make sure that there are no Sulfite's used as preservatives.

However, the best form of treatment for Thiamine deficiency in dogs is to make sure that they are not developing a deficiency to start with. A multi liquid vitamin or a liquid tablet daily can very easily supply your dog with an adequate amount of Thiamine.

To help stimulate your dogs immune system and to make it even stronger, you can also sprinkle in a tablespoon of brewers yeast into your dogs food once a day. One tablespoon contains 1.25 mg of B1, Thiamine, and it can be bought at any pet store or health food store, and it is a very inexpensive way to completely eliminate your dog ever getting this deficiency.

drh. jeffry wahyudi

Reference

http://www.critters360.com/index.php/thiamine-deficiency-in-dogs-raw-fish-sulfites-15740/