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Genetics: Persian Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Study

Cats with these disorders may have difficulty breathing or may become severely tired with little exertion.

Participation Requirements

Persians can have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Sometimes it can present with sudden death. Treatment is usually with medications to stabilize the heart’s rate and rhythm, and to treat heart failure.

We are currently looking for DNA samples from Persian cats with a diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy to advance our study to identify a gene for the disease.

For the technique to work well, we need DNA samples from many more affected cats. Please consider joining this research study!

Sample Collection

Please ask your veterinarian or a veterinary technician to pull a blood sample into an EDTA tube. Most veterinary hospitals have these readily available.

  • Blood drawn into a Standard EDTA Tube does not need to be refrigerated.
  • Blood draw volume should be 1 to 2 ml, if possible.
  • Please label tube well, with cat’s call name and family last name and send the samples to our lab via the address above.

Blood drawn does not need to be mailed back with ice packs or be shipped overnight. However, if possible please try to send the sample within a few days by standard mail. Until the blood can be mailed, it is a good idea to refrigerate it (i.e., if the blood was drawn late Saturday and cannot be mailed until Monday, it’s a good idea to refrigerate it between Saturday and Monday).

Sample Submission

Please complete the submission form and return along with the sample and required cardiologist report and pedigree to:

NCSU-College of Veterinary Medicine
Attn: Veterinary Cardiac Genetics Laboratory
Research Bldg. 228
1060 William Moore Dr
Raleigh, NC 27607