Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Karen, don't listen to your vet when he tells you to wait and see and come back 6 months later....
I hate to scare you, but that is exactly what they told me about Sydney! 2 months later he died .
I still am so mad at that vet; she wanted to wait 6 months before giving him meds
Here is Sydney's story:
http://users.telenet.be/bernardgabriels/sydney.htm

If I were you, I would demand those pills right away, it might save Phinegas!! Good luck

[jenluckenbach]

Shilo is doing well.

He had developed a heart murmur ( a high number, but I can't remember exactly). He would tire out so much that if he took a flight of stairs he would collapse. And his breathing was so labored you could see him breathing from his belly. Then he started the meds. His energy and breathing are back to normal and even the murmur does not sound as high as it did before.

[kb2yjx]

I think I read on Mitzi's thread that your boy is having an ultrasound. Will remember him in prayers, and I will light a candle for him in our group PET T....

[smokey the elder]

Did he say what grade it was? (1-6) My Spike has Grade 1 (evaluate in a year, look for any change, no meds required.) The grade will have an effect on the recommended therapy.

[wolflady]

I actually didn't get a grade for the heart murmur. I was instructed to take Phinehas's heart rate while he was calm and email them to my vet. His heart rate at the vet was 180-200+ which is high, and (hopefully I did it right) when I took it at home, he was between 100 and 120 which is normal. I emailed that info to my vet and she said it was fine and no meds needed. I'm praying that it will just consistently stay where it is with no or little progression - just monitoring. He did have thickening of the heart wall though, so that startled me a bit, but as long as he's still acting himself, I'm going to try not and worry about it since I'm sure my babies pick up on my stress feelings!

[Laura's Babies]

I can only imagine how upset you were. I was stunned when Giz was diagnosed with her heart murmur She is on enalapril and doing fine with it so far. ((((HUGS))))) for you..

[Medusa]

Here is a link that I found helpful when my Pidge was first diagnosed.

http://www.homevet.com/petcare/felcardi.html