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Dilated Cardiomyopathy Phenotype With Global (Four-Chamber) Involvement in a Cat: Echocardiographic, Pathological,

Giovanni Romito1, Alessandra Costa1, Maria Morini1

  • 1Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy.

Case Reports in Veterinary Medicine
|May 11, 2026
PubMed

Insights

A rare case of feline dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) was diagnosed in an Exotic Shorthair cat. Postmortem findings revealed characteristic cardiac abnormalities, supporting this rare diagnosis in cats.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Cardiology
  • Feline Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Pathology

Background:

  • Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a primary myocardial disease characterized by ventricular dilation and systolic dysfunction.
  • While DCM is well-documented in humans and dogs, it is considered rare in cats, with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy being more prevalent.
  • This case presents a unique instance of DCM in a feline patient, necessitating detailed investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To document and characterize a rare case of feline dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) with biventricular and biatrial involvement.
  • To correlate antemortem echocardiographic findings with postmortem pathological and immunohistochemical results.
  • To contribute to the understanding of DCM in cats, a condition rarely observed.

Main Methods:

  • Echocardiography was performed to assess cardiac structure and function, revealing a dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype.
  • Comprehensive diagnostic tests, including thoracic radiographs, blood work, and specific biomarker analysis, were conducted to rule out secondary causes.
  • Postmortem examination included gross pathology, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry to evaluate myocardial structure and protein expression.

Main Results:

  • Echocardiography showed biventricular dilation, biatrial dilatation, left atrial dysfunction with spontaneous echocontrast, and signs of right-sided congestive heart failure.
  • Postmortem examination revealed myofiber thinning with a wavy appearance in the ventricles and adipose tissue replacement in the atria.
  • Immunohistochemistry demonstrated abnormal expression of desmin, vimentin, and connexin 43 in the myocardium.

Conclusions:

  • A diagnosis of feline dilated cardiomyopathy with biventricular and biatrial involvement was confirmed through extensive antemortem and postmortem investigations.
  • The pathological findings closely resembled those seen in canine and human DCM, including the attenuated wavy fiber pattern.
  • This case highlights the importance of considering DCM in cats presenting with specific echocardiographic findings, despite its rarity.

Keywords:
cardiac histopathologycongestive heart failureechocardiographyfelinemyocardial failure

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