applied animal health and welfare - cardiovascular case studies

4 year old DSH

Diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy 2 years ago

Presented open mouth breathing to practice - what is Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy ?

thickening of heart walls and common cardiac disease seen in cats

HCM - effect on patient

Contraction affected

Cardiac output lowered

Heart rate increases

Oxygen carrying capabilities diminished

May lead to heart failure or myocardial infraction

nursing care for this HCM patient

Oxygen supplementation

Keep calm

May need to restrain for cardiac ultrasound

IV catheter placement

Administer medications

Monitor

•Respiratory rate

•Heart rate?

•Mucous membrane colour?

•Blood pressure?

2-year-old

Caviller King Charles Spaniel

what is Mitral Valve Disease ?

prevents backflow (heart murmur)

Backflow will increase pressure

breed predisposition

clinical signs

-coughing

exercise intolerance

syncope (fainting)

will progress to heart failure

8 week old Kitten

Occasional open mouth breathing

Heart murmur noted when having second vaccine

WHAT IS Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)?

Ductus arteriosus ensures blood does not go lungs unnecessarily as foetus is developing in uterus

should close at or soon after birth

mixing of oxygenated and de - oxygenated blood

PDA clinical signs

poor growth

weakness

coughing

7 year old

Hungarian Vizsla

Vomiting and diarrhoea for 5 days

Pulse deficits

Admitted for fluid therapy intravenously

Blood taken shows electrolyte abnormalities

arrythmias means

so should monitoring

reduce cardiac output , pulse deficits

ECG

blood pressure

heart rate

respiratory rate

mucous membrane colour

6 year old DSH

Sudden onset hind limb paralysis

Distressed and vocalising

Cold pale hindlimbs

Absent femoral pulses

Cyanotic paw pads

Previously diagnosed with HCM

this can be diagnosed by Arterial thromboembolism- ATE

-oxygenated blood from the aorta blocked

-blood clot (thrombus)

-common in HCM cats

-ischemia to tissues

-very painful

ATE nursing care

Pain assessment and analgesia

Monitoring

•Heart rate

•Respiratory rate

•MM colour

•Blood pressure

•Pulse evaluation

•Temperature

Anticoagulants

Client discussion about prognosis 

7 year old

Doberman Pinscher

Lethargic

Coughing

Exercise intolerance

Clinical examination:

•Heart rate 160bpm

•Weak femoral pulses

•Mild abdominal distension

what is dilated cardiomyopathy ?

Weakening and thinning of heart muscle

Left ventricle primarily affected

Poor cardiac contraction = reduced cardiac output

May lead to heart failure

Dilation of heart chambers

Mitral valve insufficiency

Pulmonary oedema

Ascites