Disorder - Cardiac anomaly

Organ Systems Involved
Cardiovascular

Alternative disorders described within LIDA

Ventricular septal defect; Atrial septal defect; Endocardial fibroelastosis; Atrioventricular valve dysplasias; Patent ductus arteriosis; Aortic and pulmonic stenosis; Tetralogy of Fallot

Alternative Names
Congenital heart disease

Presenting Signs

Cats with most types of congenital cardiac problems have a moderate to loud heart murmur, although this is not always the case. Some serious malformations such as a large septal defect have no heart murmur. Symptoms of congenital heart disease depend on what type of defect the cat has and how severe the problem is. Mildly affected animals may show no ill effects and can live a normal life span. Some defects, however, cause serious abnormalities of the blood circulation and are likely to cause death in newborn kittens. Mitral valve dysplasia and ventricular septal defect are the most common cardiac anomalies in cats. Affected animals may be intolerant of exercise, have difficulty breathing due to left-sided congestive heart failure (CHF), and have reduced appetite. However, many cats have no symptoms.

Cats at Risk

Congenital heart disease is more prevalent in purebred cats and male cats have a higher incidence.

Treatment

Medical or surgical. Different treatments are implemented depending on the type and severity of the defect and clinical signs. Surgical repair or medical therapy, balloon valvuloplasty, or other interventional techniques can be discussed in selected cases. Cats with mitral valve dysplasia and VSD often require medical therapy to manage CHF prior to surgery.

PubMed References
Cardiac anomaly

Contributor
Angela Yee Han Lau