Cardiac vs Respiratory Dyspnea in Cats

This lecture will review the causes of dyspnea in cats and highlight the pros and cons of commonly used diagnostics (Xray, echo/ ultrasound, biomarkers) to help identify if a cat is in respiratory distress due to a cardiac or airway- related disease. This will be followed by case examples, where the utility of different imaging modalities and blood tests is exemplified to determine if a patient had cardiac or respiratory disease.

• Know the underlying diseases causing dyspnea in cats
• Understand the pathophysiology of dyspnea
• Recognize clinical signs of dyspnea in cats
• Understand and interpret the diagnostics to determine the cause of dyspnea
• Recommend treatment options for cats with dyspnea