Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with heart failure and low calcium recovers after treatment
By Lie, Andrew R & MacDonald, Kristin A·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2013·1East San Rafael Veterinary Clinic, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Reversible myocardial failure in a cat with primary hypoparathyroidism.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old domestic shorthair cat was brought in for muscle spasms and weakness, which were found to be caused by low calcium levels due to primary hypoparathyroidism. This condition led to heart failure as the heart muscle was affected. The vet treated the cat with several medications, including pimobendan and calcium supplements. Within a month, the cat's heart function returned to normal, and all symptoms resolved, although it continued to take calcitriol for calcium management.
People also search for: cat muscle spasms · cat heart failure treatment · low calcium in cats · hypoparathyroidism in cats · cat heart problems symptoms
Abstract
A 4-year-old domestic shorthair cat presented with tetany. Laboratory testing confirmed severe hypocalcemia and primary hypoparathyroidism. The cat subsequently developed congestive heart failure secondary to myocardial failure and was treated with pimobendan, enalapril, furosemide, calcitriol and calcium salts. All clinical signs resolved and cardiac function returned to normal within 1 month, and remained normal after cessation of all medications except calcitriol. Hypocalcemia-associated cardiomyopathy is a rare, reversible condition that has not previously been reported in a veterinary patient, and it should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients with myocardial failure.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23492352/