Feline Atrial Fibrillation

Amara H. Estrada, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology), University of Florida

ArticleSeptember 20141 min read
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In this heart sound, a rapid and irregular heartbeat is heard. Some beats are softer than others, and the rhythm is quite irregular and should be obvious even at this fast rate in a cat. This type of rhythm is characteristic of atrial fibrillation with mitral insufficiency. It is often described as ‘tennis shoes in a dryer’ or ‘bongo drums.’