Systemic Hypertension in Pets
What Is Systemic Hypertension? Systemic hypertension means your pet’s blood pressure is consistently higher than normal. Just like in humans, high blood pressure can silently damage important organs including the eyes, kidneys, heart, and brain. Some cats may succumb to heart failure. • Normal: <150 mmHg • Pre-hypertensive: 150–159 mmHg • Hypertensive: 160–179 mmHg […]
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Mavacamten in Cats
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) It is the most common heart disease in cats, affecting up to 30% of cats aged 9 years and above. Obstructive HCM (HOCM) Some cats also have HOCM, where the thickened muscle blocks blood flow out of the heart. This is the “obstructive” type. Heart Failure in HCM or HOCM As disease […]
Ventricular Septal Defect in Cats
Some kittens are born with a hole in their heart, known as a ventricular septal defect (VSD). This causes the lungs to receive excess blood from the left side of the heart, which would normally be distributed throughout the body. If the hole is large, it causes severe left heart dilation and heart failure. […]
