Heart Murmurs
Heart Murmurs in Cats Guide: Here you'll find in-depth information on heart murmurs in cats including causes, symptoms, and treatments.
Read More >
A heart murmur is an abnormal heart sound caused by the vibration of turbulent blood flow. Normally, blood flow is laminar and very quiet. Having a heart murmur is not itself an illness or disease. It is a characterization given to an abnormal sound heard upon auscultation over the region of the heart. Cats of any age, breed or gender can be born with or later develop heart murmurs. Many affected cats show no outward
Heart murmurs in cats are diagnosed through a physical examination using a stethoscope, grading the heart murmur based on severity, and identifying what type of heart murmur is occurring based on the heart’s sound. An electrocardiogram may help to distinguish the grade and type of heart murmur, and complete blood tests and ultrasound examinations can be used to determine why the heart murmur is occurring.There are many different types of heart murmurs, and they are
Treating feline heart murmurs is not a realistic or viable option, because heart murmurs are not a disease or illness but rather are simply abnormal heart sounds caused by turbulent blood flow. To “treat” the heart condition, the veterinarian must identify why the murmur exists. Once the cause of the murmur is identified, a treatment program can be formulated.Heart murmurs can be congenital (the animal is born with them) or acquired, and the prognosis ranges