05
Apr
Heart Murmur In Cats. Usually these murmurs are found during puppy and kitten exams. The murmur is audible as a whooshing or swishing sound that occurs during the normal cycle of the heartbeat. The diagnosis of a feline heart murmur is made via cardiac auscultation ie. A heart murmur is nearly always diagnosed by a veterinarian listening to your cats heart with a stethoscope often during a routine health check.
The murmur is audible as a whooshing or swishing sound that occurs during the normal cycle of the heartbeat. MeSH terms Animals Cat Diseases diagnostic imaging. What Causes Heart Murmurs in Cats. This can indicate an irregularity with blood flow between the hearts valves which could affect oxygen and nutrients levels as blood is pumped around the body. Hyperthyroid disease is the leading cause of heart murmurs in cats. The murmur may first appear at 6-8 weeks of age and a kitten with an innocent heart murmur will usually outgrow it by about 4-5 months of age.
A heart murmur means that in addition to the normal lub-dub heart sounds a vet can also hear extra sounds when listening with a stethoscope.
Heart murmurs result from additional blood flow to the heart. Heart murmurs in adult cats that are not linked to a diagnosable disease are called physiological murmurs. Sometimes these murmurs can only be detected later in life. It would be best to have rechecks for her so that your veterinarian can listen to her heart and lungs and monitor the cough. These might include weight loss lack of appetite trouble breathing pale mucous membranes and lethargy. Studies suggest that 30 to 50 percent of cats with a murmur have structural heart disease 1 she says.