Prayers for my Pidgelet, please! *Update 11/23*; she's losing weight; post #285

[Catty1]

I can't even imagine how upset you must be about the prescriptions being unsigned and inaccurate!

Mary, I found a bit of info you can look at when you're up to it. While meds won't prolong Pidge's life, they can make it more comfy.

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/hyp-cardio.html

For cats with hypertophic cardiomyopathy, drugs such as diltiazem (trade name Cardizem), propranolol (trade name Inderal), and atenolol (trade name Tenormin) can help reduce heart rate and relax the thickened heart muscle. This disease may lead to congestive heart failure, for which veterinarians often prescribe low-salt diets and diuretics such as furosemide (Lasix®) to reduce fluid accumulation. Lasix® forces the kidneys to get rid of excess sodium and water. Vasodilators such as enalapril may be used as well to reduce blood pressure. If a cat is at risk for blood clots, vets sometimes prescribe small doses of "blood thinners" such as aspirin. But guardians should never give aspirin without consulting a veterinarian. While this medication is harmless to most humans, it can be toxic to cats.

Diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can include:

# X-rays - will reveal the presence of fluid in the lungs and chest cavity, and the silhouette of the heart itself. But the cardiac x-ray often looks normal and won't show the thickness of the heart muscle.
# Electrocardiography - records the electrical activity of the heart during and between contractions and may pick up abnormalities, such as muffled breathing sounds, extra heart sounds, or gallop rhythms due to the heart chamber enlargement.
# Cardiac Ultrasound (echocardiography) - shows thickness in the wall of the heart and how well blood is being pumped. This is usually the determining test of whether a cat has cardiomyopathy and will allow vets to categorize the disease.
# Cardiac Catheterization - this will make a specific diagnosis. But because anesthetic risk is high in cats with heart problems, and a definitive diagnosis doesn't change treatment in most cases, this procedure is rarely done.

I wondered about the echocardiogram...but that must have been the ultrasound she had.

Big hugs! I know the prognosis sucks...but she has been so healthy all her life, I pray that gives her a slight edge. Once she feels more comfy, "your" Pidge will be back, with her Boo man taking care of her...I hope you find some happiness in that.

[Medusa]

I can't even imagine how upset you must be about the prescriptions being unsigned and inaccurate!

Mary, I found a bit of info you can look at when you're up to it. While meds won't prolong Pidge's life, they can make it more comfy.

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/hyp-cardio.html





I wondered about the echocardiogram...but that must have been the ultrasound she had.

Big hugs! I know the prognosis sucks...but she has been so healthy all her life, I pray that gives her a slight edge. Once she feels more comfy, "your" Pidge will be back, with her Boo man taking care of her...I hope you find some happiness in that.

She's on Lasix, Atenolol and Enalapril, all listed on the above site. Hopefully, it will keep her comfortable.