Restriktiv kardiomyopati hos en familj birmakatter
Cardiomyopathy is the most common type of cardiac disease in the cat. Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is comparably uncommon and only a few studies have been conducted in this disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the presence and inheritance pattern of RCM in a family of Birman cats. The family comprised 177 known cats. 107 of these cats were examined by echocardiography, 23 of the cats died/were euthanized and a diagnosis could be established post mortem. Out of the examined cats, 18 were diagnosed with RCM, 4 of them with strong suspicion of RCM, 10 equivocals (borderline cases), 4 with HCM, and 2 with aortic stenosis. Remaining cats were classified as free from cardiac disease at the time of examination. The age of diseased cats were between 10 months and 9 years. No sex predilection could be observed. The study indicates that genetic factors contribute to disease development. The mode of inheritance could not be fully characterized, but a dominant mode of inheritance could most certainly be ruled out. The results suggest a recessive inheritance pattern, possibly with codominance or incomplete penetrance. In absence of a gene test, breeding should be avoided in diseased individuals and their siblings, offspring and parents. Breeding should be sparse in cases where RCM has not been confirmed but suspicious signs are present.