In some countries, registers of breeding cats have been established so that the genetic status of breeding stock is recorded along with results of ultrasound
scanning by a veterinary cardiologist.
Answer: If Your Vet Is Stumped And No Improvement In Cough, Then Best To Ask Your Vet For Referral To Vet Specialist In Your Area For Further Testing And / or Evaluation, Including Echocardiogram (best
Done By Veterinary Cardiologist), And Possibly Tracheal Wash, And / or Scoping Of Airways For Proper Diagnosis And Treatment Plan
Heartbeats that occur at irregular intervals, called an arrhythmia, indicate heart disease and often land a pet in the animal ICU for emergency
treatment by a veterinary cardiologist to correct the abnormal rhythm.
In addition to the three primary cardiomyopathies, Dr. Bonagura cites other acquired feline cardiac disorders regularly
encountered by veterinary cardiologists: feline myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle; myocardial infarction, tissue death in an area of the heart muscle resulting from a blood clot; and «unclassified» cardiomyopathies, a category comprising hybrids of the various conditions.
I would make sure that the EKG and ECG are performed
by a veterinary cardiologist.
Only some complicated tests, performed
by a veterinary cardiologist, can tell which murmur is important.
In some cases of complex heart disease, evaluation
by a veterinary cardiologist may be needed.
Unless those examinations detect some other obvious cause for the abnormalities, most veterinarians, at this point, will suggest that an echocardiographic study (perhaps with color flow doppler) be performed
by a veterinary cardiologist or imaging specialist.
OFA Cardiac may be performed
by a veterinary cardiologist, other veterinary specialist or veterinary practitioner.
An echocardiogram (ultrasound or sonogram of the heart)
by a veterinary cardiologist is the gold standard for definitive diagnosis.