This week’s segment features Rabbit the 13-year-old domestic shorthair cat!! Rabbit was brought to us when her owners noticed that she was more lethargic and had a slight cough. After physical examination and baseline blood work were normal, we investigated further with chest radiographs (x-rays) and cardiac peptide markers. Heart disease in cats can be tricky to detect because many cats hide their symptoms until the condition is advanced. Here at Emerson Animal Hospital, we use a few key tools to help catch problems early. Chest X-rays let us see the size and shape of the heart and check for any fluid in the lungs. From these X-rays, we can calculate something called a vertebral heart score (VHS) — this helps us measure if the heart looks larger than normal. We can also run a simple blood test called cardiac pro-BNP, which measures a protein released when the heart is under strain. Higher levels can indicate that the heart is working harder than it should. In Rabbit’s case we found that she had enlargement of her heart and elevation of her cardiac markers. We were able to put Rabbit on a combination of medications to control her heart disease and we were able to get the medications formulated in a way that is palatable for Rabbit and easy to administer for her owner! Rabbit has been doing so much better since starting the medications and her heart disease is now well controlled!!