Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Heart valve narrowing in three cats and their outcomes
By Watson, C E et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2019·University of Bristol, United Kingdom·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Valvular aortic stenosis in three cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Three cats were diagnosed with a serious heart condition called valvular aortic stenosis, which is when the heart's aortic valve doesn't open properly. All three cats showed signs of heart failure, which means their hearts were struggling to pump blood effectively. The diagnosis was confirmed using an ultrasound of the heart, revealing issues with the aortic valve and changes in the aorta. Unfortunately, the prognosis for these cats was poor, indicating that this condition can be quite severe.
People also search for: cat heart problems · aortic stenosis in cats · signs of heart failure in cats · cat heart disease treatment
Abstract
Aortic stenosis affects 0.028% of cats in a shelter population, with valvular aortic stenosis compromising almost half of these cases. Of congenital heart diseases reported in cats, aortic stenosis is the second most common one, affecting 17% of these cases. Existing literature on valvular aortic stenosis is scant, and thus, presentation and prognosis of affected animals is poorly understood. In this case series, we describe three cats with confirmed valvular aortic stenosis. All cases were diagnosed echocardiographically, and all three had visible aortic valve leaflet fusion and a poststenotic dilation of the ascending aorta. Congestive heart failure developed in all three cases, and prognosis was poor. This case report highlights the existence of aortic valve dysplasia in cats and may allow clinicians a better understanding of the clinical presentation of this congenital abnormality.
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/31437784/