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Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common heart disease in cats. It develops and progresses insidiously over time and its early signs may be subtle or nonexistent. A cat that seems healthy may appear to become very ill very quickly, or even die suddenly.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an abnormal thickening (hypertrpohy) of the heart muscle of cats. The thickening causes improper filling and impaired pumping of the heart, as well as abnormal heart rhythm. These changes result in difficult breathing and fluid accumulation in the lungs. Lack of appetite and vomitting often occur 1 to 2 days before breathing difficulties appear. In some cases, blood clots develop and may cause paralysis of one or more legs.
The disease is most common in domestic short hair cats followed by domestic long hairs. Persians, Himalayans, and Ragdolls may be predisposed to the disease but Siamese, Abyssinians, and Burmese breeds are less freqently involved.
We recommend every 6 month check ups and if you are concrened, you may consider an echocardiogram to look for early changes.
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