What is Enlarged Heart?
Your veterinarian may use the term dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) to describe the condition of enlarged heart, specifically the loss or weakening of cardiac muscle, leading to decreased function and possibly to congestive heart failure.
An enlarged heart is a condition in cats in which the muscle of the heart increases in size due to many different possible causes. This increase causes the heart to work harder to pump the same amount of blood, resulting in decreased efficiency and possibly heart failure. Though it used to be more common, a link between taurine deficiency and enlarged heart has been established, leading cat food companies to include taurine in their food, and a subsequent significant drop-off of enlarged hearts in cats. It's worth noting that outdoor cats or those fed diets not based on commercial cat food may still be at risk for taurine deficiency.
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Symptoms of Enlarged Heart in Cats
Cats with enlarged hearts will often have a broad range of symptoms, and depending on the age of the cat, these could be mistaken for simply a sign of being elderly. Only veterinary examination can pinpoint dilated cardiomyopathy for certain. The primary symptoms include:
- Listlessness (depression)
- Lack of appetite
- Weakness/sluggishness
- Partial paralysis as blood clots become more common
- Abnormal heart rhythm
- Difficulty breathing, possibly with a cough
Causes of Enlarged Heart in Cats
It is widely believed now that taurine deficiency was the primary cause of enlarged hearts in cats, but with the addition of taurine to cat food, this has been largely resolved. Modern cases have no single cause that can be pinpointed, but instead there are several possible known culprits, including:
- Parasites
- Viruses
- Genetic predisposition to enlarged heart
Assuming taurine deficiency is not the cause of your cat's enlarged heart, a more in-depth examination will be needed.
Diagnosis of Enlarged Heart in Cats
Your veterinarian will need to examine your cat, particularly the sounds of the heart and the ability of your cat to breathe on their own.
If your cat suddenly stops eating, shows signs of general disinterest or extreme fatigue, has difficulty breathing, or behaves in a way that indicates partial paralysis or pain in one specific region, it is a good idea to have them examined as soon as possible.
On examination, a veterinarian will be listening for a galloping heartbeat, a heart murmur, weak pulse and other abnormal heart rhythms. In addition, the cat's breathing will potentially be labored as fluid builds up around the heart and lungs, a condition called effusion. Further examination through blood drawing can indicate heart damage by evaluating levels of creatinine, a chemical marker of muscle breakdown, an increase of which can suggest cardiac damage. Ultimately, an echocardiogram is the best test for diagnosing enlarged heart, and will be the next procedure if the initial examination suggests cardiac enlargement.
Your vet may ask you about your cat's eating habits lately compared to normal. In addition, they will likely ask about onset of a cough, decreased energy and playfulness, if they have lost interest in toys or novelties that used to get their attention. Being clear about your cat's normal behavior versus what they have experienced since you've noticed the change can be essential in helping your veterinarian determine what they need to evaluate.
Treatment of Enlarged Heart in Cats
Treatment for cats with enlarged hearts involves reducing swelling of the heart as well as reducing the amount of fluid accumulating in the chest. This will improve breathing and allow the doctor more time to establish a cause. If it is determined that taurine deficiency is the underlying cause of the DCM, taurine will be administered, but even in these cases, the prognosis is not good. Once cats begin to exhibit symptoms of enlarged heart, it can be too late to treat effectively. Unless your cat is not eating prepared cat food, lack of taurine is not the primary cause, so identifying the culprit takes precious time. For the most part, treatment is focused on improving heart function while a cause can be established.
Diuretics
Diuretics work by helping your cat expel excess fluids that their body might be retaining. Diuretics are usually administered orally, but depending on the condition of your pet, may be given intravenously. There is little risk here but they do not offer a permanent solution.
Antiarrhythmic Drugs
AADs work by inhibiting the impulses that cause irregular heartbeats. They are not useful if the enlarged heart has progressed to congestive heart failure, though.
Administered Oxygen
This is another stopgap, designed to give your cat's doctor more time to find an underlying cause.
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Recovery of Enlarged Heart in Cats
If caught quickly enough, the prognosis can be about 50% for survival in cats with enlarged hearts, assuming taurine deficiency is the cause. For examples without a readily apparent trigger, expected recovery rates are very low. Even for those with taurine problems, the chance at survival is not high. Long-term management of the condition depends on the initial trigger, but once a cat has survived and the condition causing the enlarged heart is identified, it can be addressed accordingly.
Enlarged Heart Average Cost
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Enlarged Heart Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
tabby
Tigger
11 Months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Enlarged Heart, Crackly Breathing
My 1 yo cat has an enlarged heart. He has a gurgling sound when he purrs or is cleaning himself or is excited. He has a ton of energy, always running and jumping, no problems with his appetite at all. I don't have him on any medication, but I'm wondering if it would be better to have him taking something. My vet says it's up to me. I don't know.
Jan. 31, 2018
0 Recommendations
Without examining Tigger I cannot determine the severity of his heart condition; but if your Veterinarian has indicated that treatment is necessary you should consider it since treatment is more effective when started early, however some medications are contraindicated in asymptomatic animals. I really cannot tell you whether you should start treatment as I haven’t examined him. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Jan. 31, 2018
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Siamese mix
Oliver
18 Years
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Slower Moves And Lower Range Motion
My kitty, Oliver, is 18 years old. He is under the care of a vet specialist. For his kidneys/digestive system, he is on KD food, and medications noted below to help with appetite and kidneys. We do bloodwork on him every 2-3 months, though recently it's been every 4-6 weeks. His bloodwork is stable. We hadn't done an x-ray on him for 18 months, and the vet recommended, so we did it and found out he has an enlarged heart. If I take him to a cardiologist, and they confirm that, what would treatment be? I don't want to make him miserable, but want him to feel good as long as he can.
Jan. 30, 2018
1 Recommendations
The question here isn’t if there is an enlarged heart or not (it is easily evident on the x-ray) but more why is the heart enlarged (underlying cause) and what management options are available. There are various causes for an enlarged heart so the primary cause needs to be identified so that the right treatment is given (treatment would be dependant on the underlying cause). Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Jan. 31, 2018
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European Shorthair
Ciccio
13 Years
0 found this helpful
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Hello, my 13 years old male cat has been vomiting mainly liquids especially early mornings or at night time when his stomach is empty for a few weeks, every other day. He still has a great appetite and would eat all the time as usual but he has lost a lot of weight very quickly recently. 3 weeks ago my vet ruled out diabetes, any thyroid problem and leukemia and kidney deases after running some blood test, she gave him antibiotics for a week thinking it could have been a stomach/intestine problem (he had also diarreah). The diarrhea stopped But 2 days ago he had a chest X-ray that revealed an enlarged heart and fuid around it and a lower heart beat rate. She thinks it’s most probably somebody form of heart tumor and only a few weeks let to live...she couldn’t see any mass because of the fluid covering almost entirely the left side of the rib cage and tried to extract some liquid without success. She’s advising me not to have an ultrasound to investigate further as it could be a lot of unnecessary stress for my cat given the diagnosis and I agree with her but I am a bit confused as she is...the heart rate should be higher and there should be little or no appetite at all in my cat...he has no breathing problems but I can see he’s not comfortable when he tries to sit or lying down to sleep, he eventually settles and sleeps but wakes up every couple of hours and sits.
Did you ever come across this type of symptoms before and would you have a different diagnosis?
Jan. 28, 2018
0 Recommendations
In a case like this we know that there is an issue with the heart but without an echocardiogram (ultrasound) we cannot be sure what is happening, the fluid obscures everything on the x-ray and performing an ultrasound may cause stress on Cicco. If there is fluid in the pericardial sac, we may expect the heart rate to be higher but not in all cases; I cannot give you any more guidance than your Veterinarian at this point, you may which to consult a Cardiologist for more information. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Jan. 29, 2018
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Not sure
Cindy
13 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Depression Improved W/More Attentio
My female kitty, almost 13 yrs died suddenly last night. Found her this morning in her bed with no signs of trauma. One leg was extended as if she was stretching and her tail looked a little fluffy. Just a bit, enough to notice. About 5 - 6 weeks ago, vet said she was OK. I took her in because she seemed depressed. More attention helped. That's the only symptom ot her than yesterday she was very grouchy towards me and friendly towards my husband!
Jan. 26, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your email. I'm sorry for the loss of your Cindy. Without having seen her, I'm not sure what caused her death, but it does sound very sudden. Underlying heart disease is a common cause for sudden death, and that may have been what happened with her. Your veterinarian will be able to perform a necropsy and try and determine her cause of death if that is something that you want to find out. Again, I am sorry for your loss.
Jan. 26, 2018
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Enlarged Heart Average Cost
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Average Cost
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