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

[Medusa]

I know that some PTers have cats w/a heart murmur but, admittedly, I haven't paid much attention to the threads other than to encourage them and to send prayers. Specs and Yoda were in for their physicals today and Specs has a heart murmur. I didn't take them to Dr. Lee, my usual vet who's farther away, because this was just checkup day and my local vet handles that stuff and she's only 10 minutes away. She admitted to me that she doesn't have all the equipment necessary for testing and she also doesn't have the expertise for treatment if the murmur is due to something more serious. I'll have to wait until I get paid, which won't be for a couple of weeks, before I can take Specs in to see Dr. Lee because Boo and Coco Puff are due for their checkups, too, and they won't refill my Rx for Clomicalm unless they get their checkups. (I simply cannot have a pee party added to the mix. I'll lose my mind. I'm close as it is.)

So, I'm asking for prayers for my pretty boy Specs and also if you have any pertinent info that you think I should know, please post it if you think others will benefit from the info or PM me, if you prefer. Please don't frighten me, though, and by that I mean that, if you're an alarmist, it might be better not to reply. I'm tough; I can do anything where my cats are concerned but what I need are facts and success stories. My calico Puddy, who's been a CRF kitty for years and is operating on only one kidney now, is getting weaker every day and I've been battling my fear that her end may be near. I'm on shaky ground emotionally right now, not to mention financially because the vet bills are never-ending. I have to go in on Wednesday for my own tests. (I'm having some troublesome gynecological issues at the moment and I'm hoping that it's something simple.) Boy, it just keeps on comin'.

[Randi]

Mary, I'm sorry to hear Specs has a heart murmur. I don't really know anything about that, other than there are degrees of it. I hope Specs' is the mild version - I'm sending positive thoughts that is is.

Try not to get yourself worked up about it until you know for sure. Many cats have lived with it for years.

((((hugs))))

[nepeta]

Heart murmurs can be symptoms of a whole lot of things including nothing at all. Some are completely (or nearly so) harmless, others represent more serious heart conditions. They are graded on a 1 to 6 scale, with 1 being mild and 6 being serious.


If it's toward the higher end, the vet may want to run an ultrasound (echocardiogram) to see if there's a problem such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This is a condition where the heart wall thickens and becomes less compliant so the heart doesn't pump as effectively. HCM is an extremely variable condition. I have two cats with mild HCM who have been treated for about 5 years or so with a once a day pill. Sammy, who died last year at age 19 had very pronounced HCM as well as chronic renal failure. Even so, she lasted 5 years with the condition. And she'd had the heart murmur much longer, and I suspect congenital. (I got her when she was 9, and she had the heart murmur then.)

However, other cats succumb quickly. HCM cats are susceptible to throwing blood clots that can completely block an artery.

[lvpets2002]

Oh No Mary so sorry to read this news.. Are you going to take Specs to see Dr. Lee also for their judgement?? Oh I hope Specs will be ok.. Sending Lots of Good Vibes & Prayers from my clann..

[Medusa]

Heart murmurs can be symptoms of a whole lot of things including nothing at all. Some are completely (or nearly so) harmless, others represent more serious heart conditions. They are graded on a 1 to 6 scale, with 1 being mild and 6 being serious.


If it's toward the higher end, the vet may want to run an ultrasound (echocardiogram) to see if there's a problem such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This is a condition where the heart wall thickens and becomes less compliant so the heart doesn't pump as effectively. HCM is an extremely variable condition. I have two cats with mild HCM who have been treated for about 5 years or so with a once a day pill. Sammy, who died last year at age 19 had very pronounced HCM as well as chronic renal failure. Even so, she lasted 5 years with the condition. And she'd had the heart murmur much longer, and I suspect congenital. (I got her when she was 9, and she had the heart murmur then.)

However, other cats succumb quickly. HCM cats are susceptible to throwing blood clots that can completely block an artery.

Thank you so much for your reply. This is exactly the kind of info that I was looking for. I called my main vet, Dr. Lee, and he told me the same thing. I knew that he'd be able to put my mind at ease and, as soon as I get the results of the blood work tomorrow so that I have something to report to him, I'll make an appt. for Specs for an x-ray and one other test that I can't recall the name of at the moment. Then, if Dr. Lee thinks it's necessary, the echocardiogram will be done. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's a 1.

[Grace]

How old is Specs?

My Duffy was diagnosed with a murmur 5 - 6 years ago. He had a cardiac ultrasound, and it was determined that his murmur was totally innocent - just like mine!!

When we took him to the Vet, he got upset, and the murmur surfaced. It requires no treatment, no follow up, no nothing.

I've had a murmur all my life - sometimes they hear it, sometimes they don't. Like Duffy - no treatment is needed.

I wish for you and Specs a repeat of Duffy - a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

[Medusa]

How old is Specs?

My Duffy was diagnosed with a murmur 5 - 6 years ago. He had a cardiac ultrasound, and it was determined that his murmur was totally innocent - just like mine!!

When we took him to the Vet, he got upset, and the murmur surfaced. It requires no treatment, no follow up, no nothing.

I've had a murmur all my life - sometimes they hear it, sometimes they don't. Like Duffy - no treatment is needed.

I wish for you and Specs a repeat of Duffy - a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

He's approximately 8 1/2 years old. My vet thought that he was about 2 1/2 years old when I rescued him and I've had him for 6 years now. Thanx for the good thoughts. I appreciate it a lot. I had a heart murmur when I was pregnant and after delivery, the murmur disappeared. So I'm hoping that Specs' murmur is all sound and fury, as you say.