What Causes Heart Problems In Cats!

A cat's heart has four chambers. The two upper chambers are called the atrium (plural atria), and the lower chambers are called the ventricles. Also, the heart has a right and left side, each side containing one atrium and one ventricle. A cat's heart works as follows:
• Veins transport exhausted blood from the body to the right atrium.
• Blood is stored in the right atrium momentarily until being pumped into the right ventricle
• The right ventricle pumps out the blood into the lungs, where it is infused with the fresh oxygen
• The blood then flows from the lungs back into the heart through the left ventricle
• The largest muscle of the heart is located in the left ventricle, it pumps the freshly oxygenated blood to all other organs and body parts.
• Once the blood is circulated and exhausted then veins carry it back towards the heart by the right atrium to start the process again.
Also the general veterinary practitioners can diagnose and treat many of the conditions, but treating heart problems in cats requires specialized training in the veterinary cardiology.
Heart diseases in cats can be either congenital or acquired: But the Congenital heart disease in cats is present at birth time , and it can be inherited from the parents . Acquired, or adult onset heart disease in cats often arises in middle-aged to the older animals due to wear and tear on the heart structures, but this can also occur from an injury or infection, While cardiomyopathy is one of the most common form of acquired, adult onset heart problems in the cats, the two most common types of congenital heart disease in cats are:
• Malformations of a heart valve or
• Defects in the wall that divides the right and left halves of the heart
Both types of congenital heart disease makes blood to flow abnormally through the defect. The disturbance in the blood flow causes abnormal vibration or a heart murmur in the cats. There are also several stages of heart disease and congestive heart failure in cats that veterinarians use to determine severity:
• Asymptomatic: This is a heart disease in cats that is detected, but there is a lack of any outward signs. Additionally, a heart murmur in cats or arrhythmia can also be found.
• Mild to moderate heart failure: Significant clinical signs of congestive heart failure are in evidence both at rest or while they are active.
• Advanced heart failure: Critical clinical signs are evident, including respiratory distress, ascites and profound exercise intolerance. The prognosis will worsen with each passing stage, and the need for aggressive treatment will be increased.

By: Saksham Gupta
Content: harlingenveterinaryclinic.com/services/cats/heart-disease-in-cats