The treatment of heart disease in cats is often complex. Only taurine-responsive dilated cardiomyopathy is potentially curable. The other diseases are controlled with medications and diet and activity modification.
Cats that are severely affected, or in heart failure, need oxygen therapy. Because stress can aggravate heart conditions, cats experiencing serious symptoms should be confined to a cage and prevented from participating in all forms of activity. Once the cat is stabilized, however, it is best for the veterinarian to determine which specific type of heart disease is present so that appropriate treatment can be initiated. Generally, treatments vary according to the form of heart disease.
A number of medications are prescribed to cats with heart disease. In the case of dilated cardiomyopathy, taurine may be administered. If the disease is taurine responsive, and the cat survives the initial weeks of treatment, the animal usually can be weaned off of its heart medications within a few months.
If there is fluid in the lungs because the heart is not able to pump effectively, a diuretic will be prescribed to help clear the lungs. Additional drugs are available to relax the cat, regulate heart rate, and influence the force and speed of heart muscle contraction. The type of therapy often depends on several complicated factors. In many cases, a veterinarian will recommend referral to a veterinary cardiologist for more precise diagnostics and to help in developing the initial treatment plan.
Cats that develop a blood clot and have become paralyzed in the hind legs due to heart disease will need medications to treat the heart disease, to control pain, to improve blood flow to the back legs, and to reduce the risk of further blood clot formation. In rare instances, surgery is recommended to remove the clot, but this has a high risk of death. Some institutions are investigating drug therapies to dissolve clots. There are very specific time windows when these drugs can be used. In addition, the therapy is often very costly and the overall success rate is unknown. Older studies with these therapies indicated a high death rate; however, newer trials are underway at various universities and research institutions.
