# Cat - congestive heart failure



## Meowy Catkin (24 May 2013)

Does anyone have (or had) a cat with this problem?

He's going back to the Vet's next week as the diuretics aren't controlling the fluid in his lungs as well as they used to (he's coughing more). I'm worried because he's getting worse quicker than I'd hoped. I know that this will probably kill him, but his last x-ray was brilliant. His heart was no longer enlarged and you could hardly see any fluid in his lungs.


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## thewonderhorse (24 May 2013)

Sorry to hear that faracat. Didnt want to read and run. 

I had a cat with this and he was on medication for a while but unfortunately as far as im aware its a degerative disease and the heart will eventually become weaker.

My lad was struggling to breathe normally and so i took the decision to pts as i didnt want him to suffer and i knew he wasnt happy. 

I suspect the initial medication would have helped clear his lungs but im not sure if maybe they could increase the strength of the meds as i think it would probably be the same as antibiotics where the body gets a certain resistance to the medication?


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## Amymay (24 May 2013)

Faracat said:



			Does anyone have (or had) a cat with this problem?

He's going back to the Vet's next week as the diuretics aren't controlling the fluid in his lungs as well as they used to (he's coughing more). I'm worried because he's getting worse quicker than I'd hoped. I know that this will probably kill him, but his last x-ray was brilliant. His heart was no longer enlarged and you could hardly see any fluid in his lungs.
		
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My neighbour's cat has just been diagnosed - British Short hair.

He's bright and well within himself at the moment, but I know that as soon as he starts to struggle he'll be put down.


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## Meowy Catkin (24 May 2013)

Thanks for the replies. This is a lovely burmese, he's nearly 11 years old. He only started to show symptoms just after christmas. He's still happy and bright (and very, very naughty) but I can see that he's slowly, slowly getting worse. I'll update when the Vet's seen him again. Hopefully we can keep him happy for a fair while yet. He wont be allowed to suffer.


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## Amymay (24 May 2013)

Ah, it's so sad Faracat.

My neighbour has several BSH's, and one in particular was a regular visitor to my house (I'd often come home to him curled up on my sofa).  Sadly returning home one evening I found him clearly very unwell, and he died the next day of previously undiagnosed heart failure.


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## Meowy Catkin (24 May 2013)

Are heart problems quite common in certain breeds then? 

The siamese is now 20 and still going strong (having got over her little wobble) and her heart is fine.


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## pines of rome (24 May 2013)

I lost one to this many years ago, I currently have a cat with a heart problem, he looked really bad a couple of months ago as he also has thyroid and kidney problems.
He is already on vidalta for the thyroid, so the vet has put him on nelio tablets and I am not sure how they work, but since being on them he has gained some weight, his heart has stopped racing and he no longer has laboured breathing or coughing!
So hopefully he will be with me a while longer as he is only about twelve.


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## Amymay (24 May 2013)

Faracat said:



			Are heart problems quite common in certain breeds then?
		
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I don't know to be honest.  But it seems to me that pedigree dogs or cats usually come with some health issues.


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## suestowford (24 May 2013)

I've only ever had one pedigree cat (a BSH) and she did have some health issues including a heart murmur. She died at 12 yrs old. I suppose it's being in a smaller gene pool that makes pedigrees more prone to this kind of thing.
Sorry to hear about your cat OP. While it's awful watching your dear pet deteriorate, at least you have a chance to spoil him rotten while you still have him.


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## Aru (24 May 2013)

I'd bring him back into the vets. A change in the dose of some medications or changeover to another type may give him another lease of life.

Pedigree cats are known for having heart issues. 
Many of the breeds with responsible breeders now screen their breeding animals for HCM...hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (enlargement of the heart that leads to heart failure)
I've met burmese, British shorthairs,maine coons and norwegian forest cats on the heart screening days before and it is one we were always warned to check for in the pedigree cats in collage.


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## Meowy Catkin (24 May 2013)

I've decided to take him to the open surgery tomorrow instead of waiting for his appointment later in the week. I'm just not happy and I think that getting his medication adjusted sooner rather than later, is the way to go.

I'm really hoping the Egyptian Maus aren't prone to heart problems too.


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## pines of rome (24 May 2013)

I think that is a sensible thing to do, sometimes leaving things just makes matters worse! If i had not gone quickly with mine when he was getting bad, he might not still be with me now!


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## ester (25 May 2013)

Our farm inbred moggy was diagnosed and given about 6 months nearly 4 years ago. He's 9 now and still pretty happy living outside whatever the weather -snow etc! Hunting and enjoying life


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## joelb (25 May 2013)

Hope all is well today OP.  TBH a heart scan would be a good idea as some conditions cant be diagnosed from x-rays alone.

As others have said, some breeds are susceptible to heart problems but health testing for breeding stock is getting better all the time.  Any good breeder these days will be more than happy to share results with prospective purchasers.


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## Meowy Catkin (25 May 2013)

He has to go back in on Tuesday. Hopefully by tweaking his medication the symptoms can be controlled (well that's the plan).


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## Meowy Catkin (3 June 2013)

I had to take him back to the Vets today as he's started to wheeze.  He has a chest infection. Flipping cat, I just want him to be well.


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## cyberhorse (13 June 2013)

Only just spotted this. We had an 8yr old Persian x who had congestive heart failure and suffered from saddle emboli as a result. We had every medication you can possibly get and experimental treatments to prolong his good quality of life. If I can ever help in any way through our experiences just PM. Hope he is doing better!


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## Meowy Catkin (13 June 2013)

Thank you Cyberhorse, I will take you up on that offer if/when Bernie goes through another bad patch. His chest infection has cleared now, so he's feeling much better.

I'm very sorry that your Persian had this problem.


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## redmone (14 June 2013)

Hi everyone.

It's taken me all day to type this.  I'm in bits 

Some of you may remember me toiling over whether to get a friend for Midnight, my rescue cat.  Well we ended up with Jinx, a lovely and spirited little kitten.

We took her to be neutered yesterday and during the pre op they picked up a heart murmur.  I had her scanned (£££!!!) and her heart is enlarged.  They think one of her heart valves hasn't formed correctly, so on contracting it is pulling blood out of the heart.  A small amount, but causing the enlargement which will eventually lead to fluid on the lungs.  You probably know better than me the rest.

I'm devasted.  There's no surgery that can fix it apparently, just medication which may keep her comfortable and give her a little longer.  At best the vet said 12 months.

Can I just ask, is this the same, or similar to what the OP is talking about?

Has anyone any experience of this to share with me?

I'm sorry to highjack OP, but I daren't post my own thread, don't think I could handle it.  Just would love to hear from someone who's been through similar (preferably, who can tell me the vet is wrong and she'll live to 102!!!).

Thanks anyway, to anyone who's listening.  It's helping a bit just typing this.

RM


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## Meowy Catkin (15 June 2013)

Redmone I'm so sorry to read that Jinx has a heart problem. It must be devastating for you.

If fluid starts to pool in her body due to a heart problem, then yes, that would be CHF. 

I really hope that her problem can be managed and that the vet is being overly cautious with their prognosis.


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## redmone (15 June 2013)

Hi Faracat,

Thanks for replying and your kind words.

My big hope is that as she's just about 6 months old she may continue growing as I believe its common for kittens under 6 months the outgrow this problem. Maybe I'm kidding myself but we need something to hold onto.

I might post a thread later to see if many have any experiences to add. I was just a bit raw to do that at first.

Sorry for the highjack, the little cutie is currently asleep on her heatmat, after doing the wall of death round the bedroom all night!!! Hard to believe she's poorly!

Xxx


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## Honey08 (15 June 2013)

Oh no  Redmone, what a nightmare.  Lets hope it does turn out to be something that goes away.  My friend got given a lab puppy because he had a heart murmer and couldn't be sold.  Seven years later he went for an operation and there was no sign at all of the murmer...

Post a thread, people on here never fail to amaze me - as a collective there isn't much people don't have experience of and can help with..xx


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## redmone (15 June 2013)

Thanks honey, I nearly text you yesterday, didnt have many places to turn and know you have cats and dogs!

I will post a thread. The vet says her heart is enlarged, I doubt it will go away but you can live in hope can't you : ( 

Thanks for replying xxx


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## cyberhorse (17 June 2013)

Redmone: I don't want to give you false hope, but some adult cats depending upon the type of cardiomyopathy (heart enlargement) can actually improve on supportive medication and the heart actually get more efficient (visible on scans too) so life span can be greater. Unfortunately our cat had restrictive cardiomyopathy (the worst) so it was not just the valve his heart muscle was turning into fibrous tissue (like tying elastic band around his heart) and this is a steep downhill slope. We were told 6 weeks maximum with supportive drugs, he lasted over 2 years so I really don't think you are wrong to have hope.

In your case you also have a growing kitten so you should have a better chance than most. Also a valve problem does not mean that you will get progressive cardiomyopathy it may stay as it is for a very long time unlike cats with age/breed related problems.

Please please though be very aware with back leg temperatures. Cats with poorer heart values/heart muscle can get "smoke" in the chambers of the heart which is blood regurgitating and not emptying properly. This can then form clots in the chamber which can break off and cause problems throughout the body, most commonly a saddle embolus. Our vet is a specialist cardiologist and does ultrasounds on all cats with a murmur. Those with this "smoke" sign on the scan get put on blood thinning medication to prevent clots. It is usually the clot that ends the life of the cat much earlier than symptoms from the actual heart or lungs.

Be aware there are very advanced medications available now and they really do work in our experience.


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## redmone (17 June 2013)

cyberhorse said:



			Redmone: I don't want to give you false hope, but some adult cats depending upon the type of cardiomyopathy (heart enlargement) can actually improve on supportive medication and the heart actually get more efficient (visible on scans too) so life span can be greater. Unfortunately our cat had restrictive cardiomyopathy (the worst) so it was not just the valve his heart muscle was turning into fibrous tissue (like tying elastic band around his heart) and this is a steep downhill slope. We were told 6 weeks maximum with supportive drugs, he lasted over 2 years so I really don't think you are wrong to have hope.

In your case you also have a growing kitten so you should have a better chance than most. Also a valve problem does not mean that you will get progressive cardiomyopathy it may stay as it is for a very long time unlike cats with age/breed related problems.

Please please though be very aware with back leg temperatures. Cats with poorer heart values/heart muscle can get "smoke" in the chambers of the heart which is blood regurgitating and not emptying properly. This can then form clots in the chamber which can break off and cause problems throughout the body, most commonly a saddle embolus. Our vet is a specialist cardiologist and does ultrasounds on all cats with a murmur. Those with this "smoke" sign on the scan get put on blood thinning medication to prevent clots. It is usually the clot that ends the life of the cat much earlier than symptoms from the actual heart or lungs.

Be aware there are very advanced medications available now and they really do work in our experience.
		
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Cyberhorse, I can't thank you enough.  Not only very kind words, but backed up with experience and knowledge.  THANK YOU!!!!

I'm starting to feel a little more hopeful, more so with Jinx bombing around the house as we speak (and giving me heart failure in the process!).  I really hope her age works in her favour, and that combined with the right medication at the time, we can keep her happy and comfortable for a good few years.  

Thanks again.  I will look into and check up on the back leg temperature thing.

Faracat, very sorry for the highjack. 

xxx


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## Meowy Catkin (17 June 2013)

Not a problem at all RM. 

Sending Jinx lots of *vibes*.


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## cyberhorse (18 June 2013)

Good luck, I hope all goes well. If you have any probs you know where we are!


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## pistolpete (25 June 2013)

Only just seen this, my ancient tortie moggie has CHF too. On fortekor and diuretics bless her. She is about 15 has had problems for years but is such a fighter! Her son has it too! Good thing cats don't have to do much! Just eat poo and look cute!


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## redmone (30 June 2013)

Thanks pistolpete and everyone.  I hope jinx stays with us as long as yours have. I'm not religious but seeing every day as a blessing at the moment xxx


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