Our vet david grant works his animal magic

Q WHY do cats die from blood clots? We recently lost ours at just eight years old. A

THE most common cause is underlying heart disease. Cats that develop blood clots often have an enlarged heart caused by thickening of the muscle or flabby chambers.

Both can lead to a blood clot in one of the heart chambers. If the clot or a bit of it breaks off, it can pass into the left ventricle and out into the circulation via the aorta.

Often the clot gets stuck where the aorta divides to supply the hind legs. Symptoms occur very suddenly as the blood supply is blocked. Affected cats cry in pain, become paralysed or have difficulty walking.

This looks similar to spinal cord damage but a veterinary examination will show poor or absent circulation to the hind legs with a weak or absent pulse.

The prognosis is often poor in spite of intensive treatment. Even if a cat survives there is sometimes a recurrence. Regular veterinary checks as cats get older may pick up heart disease, particularly if cardiac ultrasound is performed. In these cases early treatment reduces the risk of clot formation.

David Grant MBE was a vet at the RSPCA Harmsworth Hospital for Animals. Write to him at Express Yourself, 10 Lower Thames Street, London EC3R 6EN. He is unable to enter into correspondence.