The prevalence of cardiomyopathies among 1066 cats, whose owners applied to the clinic of veterinary medicine, was investigated. The prevalence of cardiomyopathies was 11 %. 94 % animals of them had a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotype; 3,4 % - dilated cardiomyopathy; 2,6 % - restrictive cardiomyopathy. Males were affected more often and had a more severe course. As the age of the animals increased, the relative frequency of heart failure increased slightly, but cardiomyopathies was diagnosed more often in young animals. It has been established that in the conditions of the city of Vinnytsia the Scottish Straight, Scottish Fold, European short-haired, European long-haired, British longhaired, and Canadian sphynx can be considered susceptible breeds. There have been no cases of cardiomyopathy in Maine Coons. 57 % of cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotype were asymptomatic. Arterial thromboembolism occurred in 14,5 % of animals with various cardiomyopathy phenotypes. The most common cause was hzpertrophic cardiomzopathz (82,3 %); was less frequently recorded dilated (11,8 %) or restrictive (5,9 %) cardiomyopathy. The lethality of thromboembolism before discharge was 17,6 %. It has been established that the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotype is the most common. More often, cardiomyopathy phenotypes were diagnosed in younger animals. In older animals the relative frequency of heart failure increased. The number of animals with thromboembolism and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotype is high, but relative to the number of animals with heart failure, cats with dilated cardiomyopathy were more prone. Thromboembolism occurred more often in females. Among cat breeds, arterial thromboembolism occurred more often among the European Longhair breed. Among the causes of the development of secondary cardiomyopathies in cats, arterial hypertension, hyperthyroidism, aortic stenosis and deficit of taurine in the diet were identified. Chronic kidney disease was diagnosed in 23,9 % of cats with a cardiomyopathy and in 17,7 % of animals that survived a case of cardiogenic arterial thromboembolism; prerenal acute kidney injury in 81,2 % of cats with cardiomyopathy, andin 72,7 % of animals after thromboembolism. Acute heart failure was registered mainly in young cats (M=3,7), in contrast to animals with arterial thromboembolism (M=6,7). The most common breed in the group of cats with thromboembolism was the European Shorthair, in the group of acute heart failure – the Scottish Straight. In animals with thromboembolism, edema was found in 45 %, and effusion in the thoracic and/or pericardial cavities in 30 % of animals. It was found that in cats with acute heart failure, the average value of aspartate aminotransferase activity in the blood serum increased by 2,8 times, and the creatinine
concentration by 1,9 times. In the blood serum of cats with arterial thromboembolism, was noted an increase relative to the upper limit of the corresponding reference intervals in the activity of alanine aminotransferase by 4,4 times, aspartate aminotransferase by 4,3 times, glucose concentration by 1,4 times, creatinine by 1,8 times, urea by 2,0 times, inorganic phosphorus by 1,3 times, relative to the upper limit of the respective reference intervals. More often leukocytosis was detected in cats with acute heart failure. In the leukogram of the blood of cats of both groups of cats with cardiac pathologies, there was a shift of the leukocyte formula to the right, high percentage of neutrophils and lymphocytopenia. We have established that the optimal treatment protocol during acute arterial thromboembolism should include oral administration of clopidogrel, pimobendan, and gabapentin, subcutaneous administration of unfractionated heparin, oxygen therapy, and massage of the affected limbs. Furosemide, butorphanol and dexmedetomedin should be administreted by infusion at a constant rate for 5 hours. Such animals must remain under constant veterinary supervision for at last 48 hours. The next task was to study the effect of adding pimobendan to the regimen of treating cats with arterial thromboembolism. Radiographically on the first day, an increase in the silhouette of the heart, an interstitial pattern of the lungs with the asymmetrical localization was most often detected. Relapse occurred in 37,5 % of subjects. The time interval from the incident to the recurrence in the first group was 387,4 ± 104,5 and in the second 107,2±32,1 days. Euthanasia was performed for 20,8 % of animals and was always associated with relapse. The survival time in the first group averaged 403,7±104,0, and in the second – 314±47,3 days. The median survival time for animals receiving pimobendan is 9,5 months and for the second group – 10,5. All the animals in the second group died, and 40 % of the cats that received pimobendan remained alive. A significant difference was found in the length of time before relapse.
