What can be done for a cat with an enlarged heart?
Treatment for cats with enlarged hearts involves reducing swelling of the heart as well as reducing the amount of fluid accumulating in the chest. This will improve breathing and allow the doctor more time to establish a cause.
What should I do if my cat has enlarged heart?
Treatment for DCM may include drugs for controlling abnormal heart rhythms, management of kidney health to prevent renal failure, treatment for low blood pressure, and treatment for complications caused by blood clots (i.e., blood thinning drugs).
What to do if your cat has dilated cardiomyopathy?
The decision will be made based on the type of heart disease (DCM or HCM) that your cat has and how severe the problem is. In the case of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), supplementing your cat’s diet with taurine can help its heart, provided the heart isn’t in full failure.
How are diuretics used to treat heart disease in cats?
Diuretics may be used to reduce fluid buildup around the lungs or in the abdomen. ACE Inhibitors can help relax the blood vessels, enabling the heart to pump blood with less effort and lowering blood pressure. Pimobendan can help dilate the blood vessels and improve the force of heart contractions.
When to give a cat a blood pressure medication?
Blood pressure medications are used when a cat has high blood pressure as this can worsen heart disease. Medications to prevent blood clots may be used when the vet feels the cat is at risk of a blood clot, or thromboembolism. Supplements such as antioxidants may be helpful in supporting cardiac function in cats.
The decision will be made based on the type of heart disease (DCM or HCM) that your cat has and how severe the problem is. In the case of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), supplementing your cat’s diet with taurine can help its heart, provided the heart isn’t in full failure.
Treatment for DCM may include drugs for controlling abnormal heart rhythms, management of kidney health to prevent renal failure, treatment for low blood pressure, and treatment for complications caused by blood clots (i.e., blood thinning drugs).
What kind of medication can I give my Cat to prevent blood clots?
Clopidogrel is a medication used to prevent platelet clumping, which is the beginning of clot formation. This medication is typically used in cats with enlarged atria (top chambers of the heart), or in patients who are suspected to have thrown blood clots to their lungs.
What happens to the heart of a cat with DCM?
It is characterized by dilated, or enlarged heart chambers, and reduced contraction ability. That is, a reduced ability to push blood out of the respective ventricle. DCM causes the heart to become overloaded, and will often lead to congestive heart failure. Before 1987, DCM was one of the most common heart diseases in cats.