Clinical Review of Canine and Feline Cardionyopathy

Abstract

Cardiomyopathy is defined as a heart muscle disease with unknown etiology. It excludes primary valvular diseases and congenital heart defects. Primary myocardial diseases are subdivided morphologically and functonally into dilated, hypertrophic, and restrictive forms based on the predominating anatomic and physiologic abnormalities detected clinically and at necropsy in dogs and cats. Idiopathic abnormalities diseases that do not clearly conform to one of these classifications are best regarded as indeterminate or unclassifiable cardiomyopathies. This article describes the clinical sign, physical, radiographic, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic features and managements of dogs and cats with cardiomyopathies.