Introduction

• Cardiac patients can present with a variety of clinical complaints such as presence of a murmur or an arrhythmia on auscultation Cardiac sounds: overview  Heart: dysrhythmia, syncope or pre-syncopal episodes Syncope, collapse, decreased exercise tolerance, signs of congestive heart failure Heart: congestive heart failure, unspecific signs (lethargy, decreased appetite, weight loss) or sudden death.
• Clinical signs of left congestive heart failure usually include coughing, tachypnea, dyspnea, exercise intolerance and pleural effusion in cats Pleural effusion.
• Clinical signs of right congestive heart failure usually include abdominal effusion, organomegaly (hepatomegaly Hepatomegaly, splenomegaly Abdominal organomegaly), distended jugular veins and occasionally pleural effusion in dogs.
• Clinical signs of forward heart failure (in comparison to congestive heart failure) usually include lethargy, decreased exercise tolerance, hypotension, pale mucous membranes, exercise-induced collapse or syncope.
•  Cardiac cachexia can occur as a result of heart failure, where cytokines are involved in gradual weight loss and worsening of body condition score Body condition scores.

History taking

Physical examination

Diagnostic tests

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.

Other sources of information

• Fuentes V L, Johnson L R, Dennis S (2010) BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Cardiorespiratory Medicine. BSAVA.
• Tilley L P, Smith F W K, Oyama M A, Sleeper M M (2008) Manual of Canine and Feline Cardiology. Saunders Elsevier.
• Martin M, B Corcoran B (2006) Notes on cardiorespiratory diseases of the dog and cat. Blackwell Publishing.
• Kvart C, Haggstrom J (2002) Cardiac Auscultation and Phonocardiography in Dogs, Horses and Cats. TK i Uppsala.
• Fox P, Sisson D, Moïse S (1999) Textbook of Canine and Feline Cardiology: Principles and clinical practice. Saunders.
• Kittleson M D, Kienle R D (1998) Small Animal Cardiovascular Medicine. Multimedica.