CLINICAL CASES OF HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY IN CATS

Abstract

The clinical cases of cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were analyzed. The study was conducted in 2021 and early 2022 in the conditions of LLC "Veterinary Space Discovery", Dnipro. The objects of clinical and laboratory research were 17 domestic cats of different age groups, sexes and breeds, which during the complex study had a pronounced clinic. For most animals, the cause of cardiomyopathies is unknown, a genetic predisposition has been found in cats of the Maine Coon, Regdol and Sphinx breeds. Diseases have been reported among castrated animals of British, Scottish, Persian, Sphinx and Maine Coon breeds. The age range was from 1.5 to 13 years, the average age of animals was 6.7 years. Most cats did not show obvious clinical signs. Visually, in sick animals with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, clinical signs characteristic of heart failure were observed – lethargy, apathy, rapid fatigue, shortness of breath, sudden fainting. Special examinations included chest radiography, electrocardiography, and ultrasound of the heart. Radiography revealed pulmonary edema and serous effusion in the thoracic cavity in 18 % of animals. Electrocardiographic analysis included rhythm diagnosis and specific electrocardiographic measurements, which revealed  arrhythmias in three animals (18 %). Cardiomegaly and concentric or asymmetric left ventricular hypertrophy have been reported in echocardiography in affected cats. Concentric hypertrophy was characterized by thickening of the wall and reduction of the left ventricular cavity, with gradual expansion of the left atrium. Also, 53 % of animals showed systolic murmur and 24 % gallop murmur, which is an additional indicator of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. For most cats with clinical signs of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the long-term prognosis is from cautious to adverse, depending on the clinical condition of the animals and the course of the disease and despite treatment. Treatment of animals was aimed at controlling heart rate, reducing pulmonary edema and stagnation in congestive heart failure, dissolving existing blood clots and preventing their occurrence. The treatment regimen included: Gabapentin (to eliminate vocalization), Furosemide (to reduce edema), Dobutamine (to improve heart rate), Butorphanol (to relieve pain), Streptokinase and Heparin (to restore blood flow and dissolve existing blood clots), Clopidogrel atherothrombotic and thromboembolic conditions). Additionally, oxygen therapy was prescribed to cats to eliminate breathing problems. The care of each animal was individual, aimed at reducing stress, increasing survival, reducing morbidity and mortality. During treatment, four animals (25.5 %) died and three (17.7 %) were euthanized at the request of the owners. After treatment, the general condition improved in six animals (35.3 %), four more (25.5 %) died within a month after treatment.