UPDATE on Callie's murmur

Well we got the T4 results back and Callie is WAY above the normal range for her thyroid = she's got hyperthyroidism. The clinic accidentally tested Shadow too and so is she!! :eek:

The vet gave me Methimazole/Tapazole 5 mg to give each of my girls every 24 hrs; a 1/2 tablet. They are getting rechecked in two weeks with a blood panel to make sure the medication is working.

I honestly hope this explains Callie's murmur. If it is, it is easily treated with medications and I may decide to treat her in other ways later. I figure the medication works for now and is inexpensive.

The only downside with the medication is that they will think of me as the person who shoves something down their throats 1x/day. I was hoping to con my husband into treating them when he comes home. They already don't like him so him medicating them won't be much worse :eek: :) . Oh well.

Thank you all for your prayers. I am so happy that her murmur is most likely caused by hyperthyroidism than from heart disease. Thank you PT!

That's wonderful news for you and I can imagine your relief. One more option with hyperthyroidism, if the medication doesn't work, is getting rid of the thyroid with a radioactive isotope - though they are still on pills for life. Have you seen the new pill pockets at your vet? I haven't tried them but they appear to be popular. Of course if the pill is bitter, and many of them are, this probably won't work. I did give my Artful Dodger Tapazole for a short time (he had CRF and heart disease as well and it made the CRF worse) but I can't remember whether this is an especially large or bitter medication. Have you thought of giving your husband an extra special Valentine's gift in exchange for his giving the cats their pills?!

At least you have isolated what is wrong with Callie and Shadow,which is half the Battle.
We are praying harder taht the Medicine works and that you have many more years with your Cats!

Prayers continue to be prayed for both of your little ones! Here's hoping the thyroid medication does the trick for them. Please keep us updated?

I bet you are relieved to know what is wrong is treatable!! Will keep sending prayers!!

I will definitely keep everyone updated. Luckily for me, my kitties are easy to medicate so no need for a piller. Shadow will forgive me if I have to continue medicating her, but Callie will not. That's why I'm hoping hubby wouldn't mind doing it. I just want her to associate me with love and not yucky medicine. :p

It is good to have an answer. And pilling them once a day will become routine. They will get used to it. (especially if it is before a meal or a treat!)

A pill pocket is an extra large cat treat shaped so that you can put a pill in it and close it up!

Works great with some kitties!

oh hugs! I'm so glad to hear it's not more than hyperthyroidism -
I've had to give my cat a pill for three weeks before, works fine witt tiny-bit butter so it slips down quickly. then later on, you can move it into food?

give much much scrigges for them from me and know they are thought by all of us! :D and (((the worry meowmie))) :)

I'm glad that you now know what Callie's and Shadow's problem is and pilling them once a day should become easier with time. Hopefully the meds will do the trick and keep them healthy for many years to come. :) Sunny send more headbumpies and kisses to his sweetheart Callie. :)

Can only echo what the others have said - hope the meds work on your babies

Thank goodness you have an answer! Now comes the tricky part (at least for me it would be!) with the pills. Well, what must be done HAS to be done. I'm sure they will get somewhat used to it.

I'll still be praying for Callie (and Shadow, too!) to get better very soon. (and for meowmie to have an easy time with those pills) :)

Hugs!

If you follow the pill with a treat chaser, hopefully she'll associate the pill with the treat.

In humans hyperthyroidism can cause irregular heartbeat; I imagine the same is true in cats. I hope this will get resolved.

Tapazole is a tiny pill.