PHP_Common diseases in cats-Heart disease

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of abnormal death in cats. It can cause left ventricular hypertrophy and increased left atrial pressure. Most seriously, heart disease can lead to blood clots These blood clots are carried to arteries throughout the body as the heart beats
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Such thrombus will produce different symptoms in different organs; if it enters the brain, it will cause anisocoria and spasm; if it enters the lungs, it will cause respiratory failure; and the most common one is that the thrombus blocks the blood vessels in the distal limbs, causing subsequent The legs are paralyzed and it is difficult to stand. If your cat’s pads turn purple or blue, this is a sign of thrombosis.
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Symptoms of heart disease in cats
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Open your mouth and gasp for breath
Cats are different from dogs. Even in the hot summer, cats do not need to open their mouths to breathe like dogs. However, when cats suffer from heart disease, the oxygen content in their bodies drops, and they have to open their mouths to increase breathing, which is one of the most typical symptoms of heart disease.
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Abdomen rises and falls significantly
Even if your cat is calm, you may notice noticeable fluctuations in their belly or chest. This is also a sign of hypoxia and difficulty breathing, but the cat is enduring it, so there is no obvious gasping sound.
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Snooze and don't like to exercise
Cats suffering from heart disease prefer to hide in quiet places to rest and no longer play like they used to. Even some stimulation may cause the condition to worsen. They will refuse to exercise and choose a quiet place to sit quietly most of the time. This can reduce the burden on the heart.
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Sudden paralysis of hind legs
Heart disease often causes difficulty in standing or even sudden paralysis of the hind legs. This is a very scary complication called "arterial thrombosis." The main reason is that as the condition worsens, thrombus appears in the body and blocks the blood vessels, resulting in insufficient blood supply to the distal end, causing difficulty in standing and paralysis of the hind legs.
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Which cats are prone to heart disease?
Cats have a high probability of suffering from heart disease. About 0.2% of cats suffer from congenital heart disease, and there is also a serious genetic tendency. Cats with high blood pressure are more likely to suffer from heart disease, and middle-aged and older cats are more likely to have heart disease due to high blood pressure.
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British short American short Fold-eared cat
ragdoll cat maine coon cat coffee cat
They are all breeds of cats with a high incidence of heart disease. There are more and more cats in the countryside
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How to prevent
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Control salt intake
Salt is an important factor in your cat's heart health. Normal cats are able to excrete excess salt through their urine, but cats with heart disease do not have this ability. And the more severe the heart disease, the weaker the ability to excrete salt. Therefore, it is recommended that the sodium content in cat food should be controlled between 0.07‰ and 0.5%, and the soluble chloride should be controlled between 0.1 and 0.45. Especially for cats with severe heart disease, limiting salt is beneficial to heart health.
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Create a comfortable environment
It is important to provide a quiet living environment for cats with heart disease. Try to avoid stimulation and stress reactions, and do not use toys such as cat sticks, balls, laser pointers, etc. that can easily excite cats. If the condition is severe, consider keeping the cat alone to reduce the burden on the heart.
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In addition, pay attention to the following points:
(1) Keep warm when the weather is cold to avoid catching cold
(2) Maintain cat oral hygiene
(3) Conduct regular heart health check-ups
(4) It is not recommended to allow cats with a history of heart disease to participate in breeding