 If you are seeking Maine Coon kittens for sale, you need also be aware of their health issues. The Maine Coon cat is a big and beautiful animal that is officially classified as the largest domesticated cat breed. It's simple to understand why their popular pets with their excellent appearance, bright and curious temperament, and usually good health, frequently living between 10 and 15 years. The Maine Coon, on the other hand, has two severe inherited problems. The first is hip dysplasia, but more importantly, your Maine Coon is at danger of developing cardiac issues. Like a human, a cat's heart is hollow and made of muscle. It is located in the center of the chest and has four chambers that work together to pump blood around the body. And just like us, they carry the risk of genetic or acquired heart disease. All cats carry a potential risk of suffering from heart disease. Sometimes, the signs are obvious. Other times the indications of a serious heart problem can be hidden for years, presenting itself suddenly with serious deterioration of health and ability, or even perhaps death. Congenital defects. Congenital heart disease in cats means that the condition is present at the time of birth and can be inherited from its parents and passed on to future offspring. The most common form of heart disease in cats is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Unusual thickening of the heart walls and affected cats leads to multiple problems and prevents normal heart function, leading to heart failure. Sadly, it was discovered in 2005 that a genetic mutation in a protein gene code was the cause of the Maine Coon heart problems. Studies show that up to 34% of Maine Coon cats carry this genetic abnormality related to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Most cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy do not suffer from heart failure and therefore have no secondary health issues. However, Maine Coons, with their higher prevalence for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy means that they are amongst the most frequent sufferers of heart disease, relative to their population size. In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy the heart muscle cells do not work properly because of genetic faulty. The unaffected muscle cells, therefore, have to work harder to make up for this failure and over time they become enlarged. This enlargement is the process by which the heart walls thicken. As heart failure progresses, a heart fails to adequately pump blood around the body, reaching to blood clots, fluid build up in the chest and lungs, causing breathing problems and eventually to death. While Maine Coons are generally healthy, inherited genetic heart disease can shorten life, cause pain or decrease mobility. Responsible breeders have their cats tested and share the result, and buyers should look for breeders who can confirm the results of such tests, acquire disorders. In addition to the risk of congenital defects, there is also the risk of your Maine Coon acquiring heart disorders. These occur in middle age to older animals. Sometimes this is simply a result of wear and tear on the heart, but it can result from a variety of illnesses, such as feline myocarditis, and inflammation of the heart muscles, tissue death in the heart that results in blood clots, and other types of cardiomyopathies. In addition, the Maine Coon breed is prone to becoming overweight, which carries its own risks, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, cancer and of course, heart disease. A genetic test is available to help Maine Coon owners and potential buyers Maine Coons can test negative but may still develop hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This will potentially be due to other, currently unknown genetic faults. Hello. This video is sponsored by Beemix Pets. Are you looking for high quality cat collars at an affordable cost? Check out, BeemixPets.com. Use coupon code KittenLife, to get 20% off. Early signs of heart disease. In the initial phase of the condition, cats may show no signs at all and also appear entirely normal. In fact, a number of cats with cardiomyopathy may never ever actually develop clinical disease, but for those that do, the development of the underlying illness can be slow-moving for some cats, whilst for others, it can be quite rapid. Some very early signs of heart disease might be observable during an exam by your veterinarian, prior to the beginning of any type of obvious indications. This is one of the reasons every cat ought to be examined annually by a vet, and also preferably more regularly in older cats. Early cautioning indications that your veterinarian might spot include. Heart murmurs. This is an abnormal noise your vet can identify when listening to your cat's heart with a stethoscope. It develops due to turbulence in the blood flowing through the heart. A gallop rhythm. Throughout each cycle of heart contractions, usually, it is possible to hear two sounds, which are associated with the opening and closing of the valves in the heart. With significant heart problems, a third audible noise in the herd can sometimes be heard. Heart rhythm disturbances. Also commonly called cardiac dysrhythmias. Healthy cats have a really regular heart rate, but with heart disease, there can be interference in the normal electrical impulses that regulate heart contractions. Abnormalities in heart rate. Heart disease can cause the heart rate to often significantly increase or reduce outside of the normal range for a cat, and also occasionally there might be heart beats without an effective flow of blood. This results in no observable pulse for that beat referred to as a pulse. Many cats in the early stages of heart disease may only have changes in the heart muscles that can be detected during ultrasound examination of the heart. Stages of heart disease. There are several stages of heart disease and congestive heart failure in cats that vets use to determine severity. Asymptomatic heart disease has been detected, but there is a lack of any outward sign. Additionally, a heart murmur or arrhythmia may also be present. Mild to moderate heart failure, significant clinical signs of congestive heart failure are in evidence both at rest and while active. Advanced heart failure, critical clinical signs are evident, including respiratory distress, fluid in the body cavity, ascites and profound exercise avoidance. The prognosis will worsen with each passing stage. The symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are varied, depending on the degree of severity. Most frequently, patients are diagnosed when they have no symptoms, but after a veterinarian detects an irregular heart beat or a heart murmur during an examination. When symptoms are detected, they can include sudden loss of movement in one or more legs due to blood clots, signs of congestive heart failure, including rapid or labored breathing, loss of appetite and general lethargy, and changes in daily behavior such as hiding or seclusion, problems remaining standing, stroke or death. On occasion, sudden death may occur without any symptoms being noted. Heart Failure If heart function is dramatically damaged by cardiomyopathy, this will bring about cardiac arrest, frequently cold congestive heart failure, where there is compromised flow to blood circulation via the heart and also blood outflow from the heart. Cats can sometimes show medical indicators without previous warning signs, with some declining very rapidly. Some pet cats with heart disease program signs of collapse or fainting. This is fairly unusual and usually connected with significant disruptions to the normal rhythm of the heart. Because cats are not typically exercised, such as being taken for walks on a lead-like dogs, it is often a lot more challenging to observe that they are experiencing a lowered workout capacity, a frequent early indicator of heart disease. Spotting early signs of heart disease is often especially tough as cats are great at hiding signs of disease. Treatment Currently, there is no treatment for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats. Changes to the size and also the framework of the heart's muscular tissues are irreversible. The longer the disease is allowed to go untreated, the greater the risk that more serious interventions will be required. In some cases where the heart problem is secondary to a treatable problem such as hyperthyroidism, then the signs might be relieved when the underlying condition is resolved. If you enjoyed this video, kindly press the like button. Also don't forget to subscribe with notifications on, so that you don't miss out on videos like this. 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