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Case Reports
. 2024 Feb:51:172-178.
doi: 10.1016/j.jvc.2023.11.003. Epub 2023 Nov 10.

Dilated cardiomyopathy of possible dietary origin in a cat

B DuPerry  1 , K E Lopez  1 , J E Rush  1 , B R Berridge  2 , R N Mitchell  3 , E B Breitschwerdt  4 , L M Freeman  5
Affiliations
Case Reports

Dilated cardiomyopathy of possible dietary origin in a cat

B DuPerry et al. J Vet Cardiol. 2024 Feb.

Abstract

An 11-year-old spayed female domestic shorthaired cat was diagnosed with severe dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and congestive heart failure. The cat had been eating cat foods that were high in pulses (e.g. peas, lentils, chickpeas). Neither plasma nor whole blood taurine concentrations were deficient. Primary treatment included furosemide, pimobendan, and clopidogrel, and changing to diets that did not contain pulses (a taurine supplements was not administered). The cat's clinical signs improved, high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I concentrations decreased, and echocardiographic measurements stayed relatively stable for over one year after initiating cardiac medications and changing the diet. Ultimately, the cat was euthanized for worsening congestive heart failure 374 days after the diagnosis of DCM. Infectious disease testing during the time of clinical surveillance was negative. Routine histopathology of the heart was unremarkable, but electron microscopy of the left ventricle showed large numbers of mitochondria of variable size and structure. A moderate number of lamellar bodies and autophagic vacuoles also were noted. This case report illustrates an unusual case of a cat with DCM unrelated to taurine deficiency. The relative roles of diet change, cardiac medications, and a dedicated owner are unclear, but this cat's relatively long survival time is similar to that seen after diet change in dogs and cats with DCM eating high-pulse diets.

Keywords: Electron microscopy; Feline; Heart failure; Nutrition; Pulses.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Statement In the last three years, Dr. Freeman has received research or residency funding from, given sponsored lectures for, and/or provided professional services to Elanco, Guiding Stars Licensing Co LLC, Nestlé Purina PetCare, and P&G Pet Care (now Mars). In the last three years, Dr. Rush has received research funding from, given sponsored lectures for, and/or provided professional services to Boehringer Ingelheim, Elanco, IDEXX, Increvet, and Nestlé Purina PetCare. Dr. Breitschwerdt is a founder, shareholder, and Chief Scientific Officer for Galaxy Diagnostics and a consultant to IDEXX Laboratories.

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