Heart Murmur In Cats Symptoms

Cat Heart Murmur Symptoms.

Heart murmur in cats symptoms. It clearly depends on the severity of the heart disease. I also suspect heart disease anytime I hear a heart murmur during a physical examination. The magnitude of murmurs is generally classified in grades with 1 being the least serious and 6 the most serious.

Also since the intensity of the heart murmur can be difficult to detect we need to look out for the following symptoms to point to a possible cardiac problem. Symptoms of a heart murmur can vary widely depending on several characteristics. If you have any questions or concerns about your cats health be sure to get in touch with your vet.

Murmurs can come and go. Cats that have heart murmurs should not. Symptoms of a heart murmur can vary widely depending on several characteristics.

There are no physical symptoms of heart murmurs since they can only be heard using a stethoscope. The heart murmur is only audible with a stethoscope and is therefore very difficult for the cat owner to detect. Loss of appetite anorexia Weight loss.

Although some cases of heart murmur in cats are not serious it is would be safer to err on the side of caution. Some other extracardiac heart murmurs are secondary or caused by changes in the heart that occur because of some other disease - in cats the most common cause of a secondary heart murmur is hyperthyroidism see handout Hyperthyroidism in Cats which causes a form of cardiomyopathy called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. These noises are typically graded from 1 to 4 4 being the most severe.

Having read forums etc. Not all heart murmurs indicate a problem. To diagnose the cause of a heart murmur your vet might recommend tests such as blood tests echocardiograms and chest x-rays.