Help! cat w/enlarged heart, breathing difficulties

Hi,

I'm hoping someone here might be able to give me some insight. OUr 8
1/2 year old cat had a bladder blockage four days ago, which came
after a bout of diahrrea that lasted 3 days. He's had diahreea before
and we didn't think too much of it, he gets stressed easily, he's also
over weight and an overeater, usually it would go away in a day or so.
This time it seemed worse, and he suddenly started straining at the
litter box. Well, he's had UTIs before too, so I took him in
immediately. He was blocked. They had to catheterize him with
anaesthesia and keep him over night, gave him Amoxycilin and hill's
s/d, and sent him home, but told me to watch in case he blocked again.

he was fine the first day, but the second night he refused his food,
and he seemed listless. I took him to emergency and they said he
wasn't blocked, but suggested I get him tested for kidney disease
because of the diarrhea he'd had. So, I took him BACK to our vet this
morning, by which time his breathing seemed really laboured (he was
still refusing food). They ran blood tests on him: nothing unusual.
Xrays: fluid in his lungs, so maybe asthma, and also, what appeared to
be an enlarged heart. They want to do an ultrasound tomorrow but sent
him home with us to watch overnight. Diagnosis now, so far, is that he
MAY have heart disease, or it MAY just be asthma, although he didn't
respond fast to a cortisone shot.

MY SUSPICION: this is a complication from the anaesthetic they gave
him to catheterize him. It seems very strange he'd suddenly have these
problems just after having been in for an obstruction. The vet's only
suggestion was that maybe he got an infection and it went to his heart
which is causing this.

If this is an enlarged heart: what will I do? OUr vet is very
unhelpful.

Many thanks, very worried.

wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm hoping someone here might be able to give me some insight. OUr 8
1/2 year old cat had a bladder blockage four days ago, which came
after a bout of diahrrea that lasted 3 days. He's had diahreea before
and we didn't think too much of it, he gets stressed easily, he's also
over weight and an overeater, usually it would go away in a day or so.
This time it seemed worse, and he suddenly started straining at the
litter box. Well, he's had UTIs before too, so I took him in
immediately. He was blocked. They had to catheterize him with
anaesthesia and keep him over night, gave him Amoxycilin and hill's
s/d, and sent him home, but told me to watch in case he blocked again.

he was fine the first day, but the second night he refused his food,
and he seemed listless. I took him to emergency and they said he
wasn't blocked, but suggested I get him tested for kidney disease
because of the diarrhea he'd had. So, I took him BACK to our vet this
morning, by which time his breathing seemed really laboured (he was
still refusing food). They ran blood tests on him: nothing unusual.
Xrays: fluid in his lungs, so maybe asthma, and also, what appeared to
be an enlarged heart. They want to do an ultrasound tomorrow but sent
him home with us to watch overnight. Diagnosis now, so far, is that he
MAY have heart disease, or it MAY just be asthma, although he didn't
respond fast to a cortisone shot.

MY SUSPICION: this is a complication from the anaesthetic they gave
him to catheterize him. It seems very strange he'd suddenly have these
problems just after having been in for an obstruction. The vet's only
suggestion was that maybe he got an infection and it went to his heart
which is causing this.

Possible, however, unlikely. Your vet is suggesting bacterial
endocarditis - which is bacterial invasion and colonization of the heart
valves. Although CHF can develop from endocarditis, the process usually
takes weeks to months.

My guess is your cat has undiagnosed heart disease (HCM/CHF) and probably
decompensated under the stress of the blockage, hospital stay and treatment.
Fluid in the lungs with an enlarged heart are pathogenomic for CHF secondary
to HCM - not asthma - although asthma may exist as a concurrent illness.


If this is an enlarged heart: what will I do?


Consult a veterinary cardiologist.

Many cats with CHF survive for years on a therapeutic plan consisting of
furosemide (Lasix), nitroglycerin, low-dose aspirin, diltiazem, atenolol,
or a combination of the medications. Your immediate concern should be
reducing or eliminating life-threatening pulmonary edema.

Go to http://www.acvim.org/Kittleson/search.htm and do a search for an
Diplomate in the specialty of cardiology in your area. American College of
Veterinary Internal Medicine Diplomates are about the best there is.


OUr vet is very
unhelpful.

I agree. My guess is he's trying to cover failing to diagnose your cat's
heart disease at an earlier date which may have averted this crisis.

Many thanks, very worried.

Keep the faith - just find a new vet *quick*!

Phil

wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm hoping someone here might be able to give me some insight. OUr 8
1/2 year old cat had a bladder blockage four days ago, which came
after a bout of diahrrea that lasted 3 days. He's had diahreea before
and we didn't think too much of it, he gets stressed easily, he's also
over weight and an overeater, usually it would go away in a day or so.
This time it seemed worse, and he suddenly started straining at the
litter box. Well, he's had UTIs before too, so I took him in
immediately. He was blocked. They had to catheterize him with
anaesthesia and keep him over night, gave him Amoxycilin and hill's
s/d, and sent him home, but told me to watch in case he blocked again.

he was fine the first day, but the second night he refused his food,
and he seemed listless. I took him to emergency and they said he
wasn't blocked, but suggested I get him tested for kidney disease
because of the diarrhea he'd had. So, I took him BACK to our vet this
morning, by which time his breathing seemed really laboured (he was
still refusing food). They ran blood tests on him: nothing unusual.
Xrays: fluid in his lungs, so maybe asthma, and also, what appeared to
be an enlarged heart. They want to do an ultrasound tomorrow but sent
him home with us to watch overnight. Diagnosis now, so far, is that he
MAY have heart disease, or it MAY just be asthma, although he didn't
respond fast to a cortisone shot.

MY SUSPICION: this is a complication from the anaesthetic they gave
him to catheterize him. It seems very strange he'd suddenly have these
problems just after having been in for an obstruction. The vet's only
suggestion was that maybe he got an infection and it went to his heart
which is causing this.

Possible, however, unlikely. Your vet is suggesting bacterial
endocarditis - which is bacterial invasion and colonization of the heart
valves. Although CHF can develop from endocarditis, the process usually
takes weeks to months.

My guess is your cat has undiagnosed heart disease (HCM/CHF) and probably
decompensated under the stress of the blockage, hospital stay and treatment.
Fluid in the lungs with an enlarged heart are pathogenomic for CHF secondary
to HCM - not asthma - although asthma may exist as a concurrent illness.


If this is an enlarged heart: what will I do?


Consult a veterinary cardiologist.

Many cats with CHF survive for years on a therapeutic plan consisting of
furosemide (Lasix), nitroglycerin, low-dose aspirin, diltiazem, atenolol,
or a combination of the medications. Your immediate concern should be
reducing or eliminating life-threatening pulmonary edema.

Go to http://www.acvim.org/Kittleson/search.htm and do a search for an
Diplomate in the specialty of cardiology in your area. American College of
Veterinary Internal Medicine Diplomates are about the best there is.


OUr vet is very
unhelpful.

I agree. My guess is he's trying to cover failing to diagnose your cat's
heart disease at an earlier date which may have averted this crisis.

Many thanks, very worried.

Keep the faith - just find a new vet *quick*!

Phil

My 2 1/2 yr old black long haired kitty, Bear started having problems
like this in Sept. First he was so blocked the vet had a hard time
getting him cleaned out and he was there 3 days. A week later I took
him back but the vet didn't find anything wrong, a week later it was
bladder infection. Then it was drooling. I mentioned then that he was
breathing hard and fast sometimes. No comment from vet. Sun. morning
Bear was watching me getting ready for church. I sprayed hairspray but
away from him then chased him out of the room. When I returned from
lunch he was having trouble breathing. I took him to the vet who gave
him a shot and some pills. An x-ray showed an enlarged heart and
ashma-like condition. By evening he was worse. The vet and I made a
flying trip to the nearest large city to get help. The vet in back with
oxygen and kitty. Bear died as I drove into the city limits. I have
been bawling my eyes out ever since. I feel like I killed my precious
Bear with hairspray1

My 2 1/2 yr old black long haired kitty, Bear started having problems
like this in Sept. First he was so blocked the vet had a hard time
getting him cleaned out and he was there 3 days. A week later I took
him back but the vet didn't find anything wrong, a week later it was
bladder infection. Then it was drooling. I mentioned then that he was
breathing hard and fast sometimes. No comment from vet. Sun. morning
Bear was watching me getting ready for church. I sprayed hairspray but
away from him then chased him out of the room. When I returned from
lunch he was having trouble breathing. I took him to the vet who gave
him a shot and some pills. An x-ray showed an enlarged heart and
ashma-like condition. By evening he was worse. The vet and I made a
flying trip to the nearest large city to get help. The vet in back with
oxygen and kitty. Bear died as I drove into the city limits. I have
been bawling my eyes out ever since. I feel like I killed my precious
Bear with hairspray1

wrote:

MY SUSPICION: this is a complication from the anaesthetic they gave
him to catheterize him. It seems very strange he'd suddenly have these
problems just after having been in for an obstruction. The vet's only
suggestion was that maybe he got an infection and it went to his heart
which is causing this.

If your cat received a lot of fluids prior to being x-rayed, that could show up
as a mildly enlarged heart, or that's what our vet told us with our cat.
However, with the other symptoms you describe I think Phil is likely right and
it may well be a form of cardiomyopathy.

If this is an enlarged heart: what will I do? OUr vet is very
unhelpful.

Many thanks, very worried.

Well, if it is a heart problem you can look on the bright side and consider
that catching it early greatly increases your cat's chances of living a long
and healthy life, with proper treatment. You really won't know what to do next
until you have the ultrasound. Good luck.

wrote:

MY SUSPICION: this is a complication from the anaesthetic they gave
him to catheterize him. It seems very strange he'd suddenly have these
problems just after having been in for an obstruction. The vet's only
suggestion was that maybe he got an infection and it went to his heart
which is causing this.

If your cat received a lot of fluids prior to being x-rayed, that could show up
as a mildly enlarged heart, or that's what our vet told us with our cat.
However, with the other symptoms you describe I think Phil is likely right and
it may well be a form of cardiomyopathy.

If this is an enlarged heart: what will I do? OUr vet is very
unhelpful.

Many thanks, very worried.

Well, if it is a heart problem you can look on the bright side and consider
that catching it early greatly increases your cat's chances of living a long
and healthy life, with proper treatment. You really won't know what to do next
until you have the ultrasound. Good luck.

Thanks for your kind words. I am having a very hard time dealing with
this. It helps to know others understand and are sympathtic.

Thanks for your kind words. I am having a very hard time dealing with
this. It helps to know others understand and are sympathtic.

"Laura R." wrote in
message .. .
circa Wed, 28 Jan 2004 08:31:07 -0600 (CST), in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Teddy ) said,
Thanks for your kind words. I am having a very hard time dealing
with
this. It helps to know others understand and are sympathtic.


We've probably all been where you are right now. It's horrible, and
there's little to nothing that makes it better besides time. It is
human nature to look for things we could have done differently when
we lose a pet, even though the reality usually is that we did
everything we could and then some. Just by the obviousness of your
grief and the post you placed that started this thread, it's very,
very clear that you loved your cat dearly and that you went way over
and above the call of duty in trying to save him. You have *nothing*
for which to blame yourself. Sometimes these things just happen. :-(

The pain *will* lessen over time. You'll never stop missing him, but
you will be able to remember him without that horrible stabbing pain
every time you do. Until then, unfortunately, the only thing you can
do is to remind yourself of all the things you did to try to save
him, and know that it was his time no matter what anybody did.

Laura

Yes. And when it is time (you will know when) save another sweet
little cat that needs a home. Or two. They still need you.