Approach to dealing with acute heart failure in cats and dogs

In Pract. June 2023;45(5):252-266. 7 Refs

Melanie Hezzell¹

¹ University of Cambridge, The Old Schools, Trinity Ln, Cambridge CB2 1TN, United Kingdom.

Author Abstract

Background: Unfortunately, heart disease is common in both dogs and cats and may eventually result in congestive heart failure (CHF). However, the clinical signs of CHF overlap with other causes of respiratory compromise. As such, differentiating cardiac from non-cardiac causes of respiratory distress is a common diagnostic challenge in emergency veterinary practice. The general principles of heart failure management can be applied to a broad range of cardiac diseases; identifying a cardiac cause for the clinical signs is therefore more important than making a definitive diagnosis in the acute phase of heart failure. Nevertheless, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ recipe for treatment and the approach needs to be tailored to the individual (eg, severity of clinical signs, comorbidities, patient demeanour and so on). Although the information in this article is organised linearly, the approach to an emergency case seldom follows the structure used in more stable patients. For example, a dog or cat presenting with significant dyspnoea will typically require treatment (eg, supplementary oxygen ± light sedation) before physical examination and diagnostic testing, and some diagnostic tests may need to be postponed until the patient is stable enough to safely undergo them; therefore, the initial treatment plan is often based on a working, rather than a definitive, diagnosis.

Aim of the article: This article provides an overview of the diagnosis and management of acute heart failure, highlighting similarities and differences between dogs and cats. The aim is to help practitioners approach these cases with more confidence.

Article Tools:

Email to me

Archives Highlights:

Efficacy, safety and interval from end of treatment to estrus in cats treated with an ultra-low dose megestrol acetate protocol for suppression of reproductive activity.
Twenty-eight queens were treated orally with 11.5 µg/kg/day of megestrol acetate (MA) for one to six months. MA suppressed reproductive function effectively in 27/28 queens. Transient mammary and uterine hyperplasia were detected in four (14 %) and three (11 %) queens, respectively, treated for more than four months, without associated clinical signs. Significant but reversible weight gain was observed in 85 % of the animals. The resumption of cyclicity occurred on average 6 weeks after the end of treatment but was influenced by the duration of treatment and seasonality.

Guide for nonswine practitioners to enhance swine disease diagnoses.
This review aims to help clinicians across the country that may not have an in-depth experience in swine medicine become more familiar with both common and novel pathogens, formulate a differential diagnosis based on the age of the animals and affected system (eg, respiratory, systemic, nervous, and enteric), select proper samples and laboratory testing, and interpret laboratory data to achieve a disease diagnosis in porcine patients.

Resolution of egg binding is possible in most client-owned parrots when multiple treatment strategies are considered.
Of the 150 events that had complete follow-up, 109 (72.7%) resulted in a successful outcome. A successful outcome was observed in 44 of 133 events (33.1%) that were initially managed medically without resorting to additional treatment strategies, in 31 events (86.1%) managed with mechanical assistance, in 20 events (60.6%) managed surgically, and in 12 events (85.7%) managed with ovocentesis.

Feline blood donation: Description and adverse reactions from 29 201 donation events between 2019 and 2023.
Adverse reactions were uncommon (0.29%, 2.88/1000 donor events) and most commonly were cardiorespiratory (0.08%, 0.75/1000 donor events) or behavioral (0.06%, 0.62/1000 donor events). The only risk factor significantly associated with adverse reactions was conscious donation, with conscious donors 4.4 times more likely to have an adverse reaction.

How to plan and provide general anesthesia for a troop of 98 hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) for contraceptive and preventative health interventions.
A group of 12 veterinarians, 2 zookeepers, and 6 volunteers anesthetized all animals within 2 days. The baboons were orally premedicated with midazolam (0.1 to 0.5 mg/kg) and anesthetized with medetomidine (40 to 60 µg/kg, IM) and ketamine (2 to 4 mg/kg, IM); isoflurane at rates of 1.5% to 2% was used for maintaining anesthesia if necessary. For population management, the animals received a contraceptive implant (adult females), orchiectomy (young males), or vasectomy (breeding males).