My Specs has a heart murmur *Update/8/7*

[Emeraldgreen]

I hope that further tests will reveal that Specs murmur is of a mild nature and that he will go on to live a long happy life!! Prayers going out to you and Specs.
I'm sorry to hear that Puddy may not be doing so well this past little while. It's so hard to go through this and I pray that she has just hit a temporary 'bad spot' and will be back to her old self again. And if her time is nearing, then I pray that you have many many days to spend time with and cuddle her. Prayers for beautiful Puddy too!!

[mamaducky]

Mary, I'll add my two cents to the "me, too!" list. I have a heart murmur (with the fairly ominous-sounding name of "aortic insufficiency"), and as a result of that I have to do the following things differently in my life:

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

I can imagine how freaked out you are by Specs' diagnosis, but it sounds as though you have a fabulous vet -- and as you're seeing here in this thread, a heart murmur, more often than not, is usually not as scary as it sounds.

((((((HUGS)))))) to you and Specs!

Diana

[krazyaboutkatz]

Mary, I'm sorry to hear this. Hopefully Specs has only a very mild one and won't require any medication for it. I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers.

I recently learned that both Sunny and Sky have heart murmurs. Sunny will be 8 in late August and Sky just turned 6 in June. Sunny had his annual exam in April and was fine. He was later having some behavioral issues so I brought him to my holistic vet and she noticed that he had a heart murmur. He's now on a calming herbal pill which is also good for his heart. She checked him out again and said that it's very slight and that he has a very strong heart so
both my regular vet and she don't think that I need to do anything more at this time.

When Sky had his annual exam in June,my regular vet noticed that he had a
slight heart murmur and he had been seeing my holistic vet several times and she never noticed one. He then had another appointment with my holistic vet and she also noticed that he had one but it's also very minor so at this time I don't have to anything more about it.

Many years ago one of my doctor's noticed that I had a slight heart murmur and she did some tests but everything was normal. Since then no other doctor has ever detected a heart murmur on me. My dad has one and all he has to do is to be sure to take some pills before and after he goes to the dentist.

[kittykatharine]

Mary,

I wish I had more information for you but, I have had friends that had cats with heart murmurs and they needed no treatment and lived normal lives. These kitties where thought to have had these heart defects from birth. I would keep up the hope and I would not worry yourself until you know what's going on. My thoughts and prayers are going to you, Specs, and Puddy. Make sure you take care of yourself and not let yourself stress out too much, this can effect your own health. Just being there for you babies lets them know that they are loved and cared for. Big PT hugs to your babies from me, and my whole kitty gang. Please keep us updated!

[Medusa]

Thanx, everyone. I had my local vet fax Specs' blood work results to Dr. Lee and I'll call to book his appt. tomorrow. I didn't do it today because I had my own medical tests to endure and I've been feeling kinda punk ever since. I'll know the results tomorrow or Friday. Thank goodness I don't have to wait during the weekend. Puddy is behaving very strangely, too, and it has me worried. She's been sleeping w/me ever since her kidney removal and last night she decided that she wanted to sleep downstairs w/the rest of the Fur Posse. Normally that shouldn't bother me but seeing that she hasn't been herself, I'm worried. She's downstairs w/them now, too, and she's wanted to be alone all day. She's eating and drinking and using the litter box just fine except today, after I gave her the subQ treatment, she didn't even try to make it to the litter box but peed in the dining room. If she hasn't improved by tomorrow, I'll call Dr. Lee. I'm just overwhelmed right now w/my medical problems, then Specs and, of course, always Puddy because she's been in CRF for so long and it seems her time is slipping away. Please keep the prayers coming. I sure could use 'em and my Fur Posse can, too.

[Medusa]

My Speckers is due for his chest x-ray next Monday, August 11 and if it doesn't reveal anything, an ultrasound will be done while we're there. Oughta be a fun day. I'll be taking Boo and Coco Puff in at the same time for their checkups. Gonna have quite the concert to and fro. At least it's at my local vet who is only 10 minutes away. If the tests show any problems whatsoever w/Specs, though, he'll go to Dr. Lee pronto. Specs actually let me snap a pic of him the other day, so here he is w/his deer-in-the-headlights look. LOL Can't see his eyes too well but you can see the white rim around them, which is why I named him Specs; he looks like he's wearing spectacles.

[kittykatharine]

Mary, Specs is a beauty! He looks just like my friends cats. I wanted to wish you all the luck and prayers for your visit on Aug 11. I am hoping the best for you and your babies. Your are right about that being quite the day - you will definitley have your hands full with all those babies and check-ups, etc. Good luck and make sure you keep us updated!

[Medusa]

My local vet just called and wants me to drop Specs off rather than bring him in w/Coco Puff and Boo. I just can't do it; I'm too far behind on my work to keep running back and forth. Honestly, do they think I can just keep taking off work? She said that it's going to take too long otherwise. C'mon, a chest x-ray takes seconds. I think I'll just take him in to Dr. Lee when I take Puddy for her blood work on the 18th.

[Catlady711]

My local vet just called and wants me to drop Specs off rather than bring him in w/Coco Puff and Boo. I just can't do it; I'm too far behind on my work to keep running back and forth. Honestly, do they think I can just keep taking off work? She said that it's going to take too long otherwise. C'mon, a chest x-ray takes seconds. I think I'll just take him in to Dr. Lee when I take Puddy for her blood work on the 18th.

It's possible the local vet is working you in and can't get to the xrays immediately but instead if you dropped the dog off they can work him in when they catch a break. There are days we have to do that when it's really busy.

[Medusa]

Well, I booked the appt. over a week ago so I don't think she was working Specs in. This was at her suggestion. I'll just take him in when I take Puddy in a week from Monday but I'll be sure that they have the time to do it. Btw, Specs is a cat. LOL

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry that you had to reschedule his appointment. If I had taken my Sunny to my vet for further tests for his hear murmur, she said that it would take at least 30 minutes and I think she said that he would have to be sedated. They would take his blood pressure and then look at his heart with an ultrasound machine. She never said anything about taking x-rays which should be much faster. I hope that everything goes well on the 18th.

[Medusa]

I'm sorry that you had to reschedule his appointment. If I had taken my Sunny to my vet for further tests for his hear murmur, she said that it would take at least 30 minutes and I think she said that he would have to be sedated. They would take his blood pressure and then look at his heart with an ultrasound machine. She never said anything about taking x-rays which should be much faster. I hope that everything goes well on the 18th.

Well, he'd get a chest x-ray first, then maybe an ultrasound and if that doesn't tell us anything, then an echocardiogram. Thanx for your good thoughts. I don't want any more bad news about my Fur Posse.