Dr. Maro: Your pet’s heart health

Dogs, cats and companion animals including ferrets can all be affected by cardiac disorders, many of which are life-threatening.

Some conditions are congenital – present at birth, such as stenosis (narrowing) of heart valves, ventricular septal defects and PDA (patent ductus arteriosus). Other cardiac conditions may be inherited, found predominantly in certain bloodlines in particular breeds and species, such as Boxer cardiomyopathy, which develops later in life.

Still, others are acquired and may be infectious (bacterial endocarditis), parasitic (heartworm disease in dogs, cats and ferrets) or diet related (taurine deficiency), including dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs and cats.

Cardiac diseases in pets can be sneaky problems that seem to come on suddenly, causing emergency situations such as coughing, congestive heart failure or even sudden death.

Depending on the breed, age and species, lots of screening tests are now readily available and becoming more affordable, often covered by pet insurance – as long as you have it in place prior to symptoms developing.

Screening tests can not only detect early stages of heart disease, but potentially give you and your pet years of quality time together.

The physical exam

Early screening for heart disease should start with the first veterinary visit. At each checkup, all pets should receive thorough auscultation of all regions of the heart on both the left and right sides of the chest. If a murmur, or abnormal sound of blood traveling through the heart is detected, the vet will ask questions which include:

• Does your pet ever cough?

• Does your pet have good stamina or does he have to rest during exercise/play?

• Have you ever noticed a bluish or pale tongue or heavy breathing?

• Have any fainting or collapse episodes ever occurred?

• Has your pet been taking heartworm medication regularly?

When your vet hears the abnormal sound called a murmur, it doesn’t mean there is a heart problem, but it does mean the vet should investigate the cause of the murmur. In some cases, changes in blood viscosity or thickness can cause a whirring sound as blood travels through the heart.

Anemia and some infections can bring on the murmur, without specific heart disease. For example, intestinal parasites that cause anemia in puppies and kittens can bring on a temporary murmur.

In a puppy or kitten, some types of murmurs associated with certain congenital or developmental disorders, may demonstrate a very distinctive sound. When that occurs, the veterinarian will alert the pet owner to get more in-depth testing.

Some murmurs are not specific to a particular condition, and may be clinically significant or may be characterized as innocent murmurs which often become less apparent with exercise and maturation. In the case of persistent murmurs in young pets and newly developed murmurs in adult pets, a medical work up and ongoing monitoring plan should be pursued to determine whether the murmur is significant.

Arrhythmias, are another cardiac condition which involves abnormal or interrupted electrical function of the heart. Some arrhythmias are life threatening, while others may not cause a problem until the pet is placed under anesthesia.

In cases of murmurs and arrhythmias, a complete medical diagnostic work up should include CBC, chemistry profile, Heartworm testing, Cardiac enzymes (BNP), chest x-rays, EKG, blood pressure and echocardiogram (an ultrasound of the beating heart with measurements of chambers in contraction phase and relaxation).

I also recommend that breeds of pets with likelihood of developing heart conditions have regular screening and genetic testing for cardiac disorders.

It’s important to note that not all heart conditions are associated with murmurs. Many dogs and cats with cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease) or heart-based tumors do not have murmurs. That’s why I recommend preanesthetic blood work that includes cardiac enzyme testing and also perform EKGs prior to anesthesia.

Regular annual or twice-yearly blood work on older pets should include cardiac enzymes, in addition to chest x-ray screening to detect heart changes before congestive heart failure occurs.

Specific drug and nutritional therapies yield very positive results with life expectancies increased up to 5 years when early treatment helps control blood pressure and maintain good blood flow, known as cardiac output.

Be sure to contact your vet for a complete wellness evaluation if you see any decline in activity or change in behavior.

Dr. Cynthia Maro is a veterinarian at the Ellwood Animal Hospital in Ellwood City and the Chippewa Animal Hospital in Chippewa Township. She writes a biweekly column on pet care and health issues. If you have a topic you’d like to have addressed, email ellwoodvet@msn.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Dr. Maro: Your pet’s heart health