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Cardiomyopathy

By , About.com Guide

Definition: A form of heart disease, which can present in several versions in cats. The most common:

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy can be related to several other problems, including high blood pressure as a result of renal failure and hyperthyroidism. Some breeds may be predisposed to HCM.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy is caused by insufficient amounts of taurine in a cat's diet. Since the discovery of this essential amino acid, pet food manufacturers have added it to cat food, therefore the incidence of this disease is not as common.
Pronunciation: hy-per-tro-fik card-e-o-my-op-a-theeAudio Link
Examples:
Shannon was a poor risk for surgery because of his underlying hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

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