A Heart Murmur Is An Abnormal Sound That A Veterinarian Hears When Listening To The Heart Through A Stethoscope.
It causes thickening and stiffening of the muscle of the ventricles. The prognosis depends on the cause of the heart murmur. This results in an abnormal noise which can be heard by your vet when listening with a stethoscope.
Heart Murmurs Can Also Be Caused By Diseases That Start In Adult Cats, Such As Heart Muscle Disease (E.g.
It can be an indication of heart disease, so other diagnostic tests may be warranted. A heart murmur is caused by turbulent blood flow within the heart or the large vessels. In such cases, says dr.
The Vast Majority Of Murmurs In The Cat Occur During Systole, The Phase Of The Heart Cycle When The Heart Is Contracting To Pump Blood Out.
Rush, “the murmur can usually be picked up during a kitten’s first visit. The sound can be similar to a swishing or swooshing sound. Heart disease cats can be affected by a range of heart disorders.
It Is Different From The Typical Sound Heard From The.
A heart murmur may be heard by your vet when he or she listens to your cat’s heart. The challenge is to establish which of these cats have no underlying heart disease (and therefore an “innocent” murmur) and which cats have underlying disease such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Some are caused by birth defects in the heart, for example a ‘hole in the heart’, and are often heard first in puppies or kittens when they have vaccinations.
An Extra Heart Sound Or A “Whooshing” Noise Heard When The Heart Beats Is Considered A Heart Murmur And Is A Common Finding In Middle Aged To Older Cats.
Diseased valves in the heart tend to leak, and they make a noise when they do. Hypertension (high blood pressure) hypoproteinemia (low protein levels in the blood) hyperthyroidism (excess thyroid hormone) hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (heart walls thicken and restrict blood flow) Causes of heart murmurs in cats there are a number of conditions that can disrupt blood flow, thus causing heart murmurs.