Mitral Valve Dysplasia

[Scooby]

 Thank you   
We can't stop Hugo's problem from always hanging about in the back of our minds  and we do watch him like a hawk!    However he is such a chirpy chap and at the moment he has no clue there's an issue. 
I know he wont make old bones, but I keep telling myself its not the years in his life, its the life in his years that matters.  He's a fun loving maniac,    is ruined rotten, has a great time with his big brother and most certainly knows he is loved 



 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Scooby, am very sorry to learn that Hugo is afflicted in this way, but whatever time you have (and may it be many many years) the main thing is to squeeze every ounce of enjoyment from that time together.      It's heartbreaking when one of your beloved cats develops any kind of terminal illness, but the key is to maximise every minute of every day from beginning to end. 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I am so sorry that Hugo has this problem which like Helen have never heard of before.

Its seems that Yahoo Groups are very knowledgeable about many things cos another poster has mentioned then today as well.

We are gathering loads of knowledge about all kinds of things through people like yourself and hope that you and Hugo have many happy years together 

[Scooby]

Thanks Tiggys Mum,
It certainly appears that Hugo is 'special' in more ways than one....
I'l have a look online and see what I can find - I keep telling him I think he's part Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, as it seems to be a common condition in that breed.   
He's such a little character and while we enjoy Hugo's antics and try not to dwell on it, we have the sword of Damocles hanging over our heads 
I still wouldn't swap him for the world 

[Tiggy's Mum]

  to Purrs Scooby, sorry it's at such a worrying time 

I'm afraid I've never heard of this condition, I did a search for it on here (Purrs has been going for around 6 years now) and it's only ever been mentioned once other than your post and that was only in passing and in relation to dogs 

I just googled it and the first link says it's 'a common congenital cardiac defect in cats' though. It sounds like Hugo is doing well on the new medication and is very much enjoying life with no clue that he is 'ill'   

It may be worth joining a yahoo group for heart conditions in cats, my old cat had kidney issues and the level of expertise in the CRF group was second to none. I did find that many of the posters were in the US but the experience of others was invaluable.

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/feline-heart/

[Scooby]

Has anyone had any experience of Mitral Valve Dysplasia?
When my cat, Hugo, was about 8 months old, I noticed that sometimes he would breathe very quickly and with a strange rhythm.  Sometimes his  normally pink nose would turn white.  I took him to the vets and was told he may have cat asthma and that was that, just keep an eye on him.....  sent us home.  This didn't sit well with me, I knew my boy and I knew it was more than that.  I had heard from friends about a really good local vet so decided to get a second opinion.  She really listened to my concerns and following blood tests and then an ultrasound I was told he has Mitral Valve Dysplasia.
This was dreadful news    My little boy could only be treated palliatively, there is no cure.  Due to genetics, the mitral valve in his heart has not developed properly and occasionally sticks, allowing a small amount of blood back through.
After consulting a cardiologist, my vet suggested we try Atenolol.  After starting on a very low dose and working up to the level that works well for Hugo, he is now on 3/4 of a 25mg tablet in the morning and the same at night.   
This has decreased his blood pressure and slowed his heart, which will hopefully give him more time to enjoy his life.  He began this treatment in August 2011 and so far he is eating well,  flies round the house and outdoor play area like a maniac with his posh Persian rescue brother and is a very happy, affectionate little boy. 

My vet said Hugo was the first cat she had come across with this problem, although I've since read that this is quite a common problem in cats.  The feline cardiologist who advised my vet says some cats do very well on Atenolol but others do not.  Hugo has been very lucky to get this extra time as without it, his outlook was hopeless.  We don't know how long this will continue though - it could be a week, 6 months, 4 years....  who knows.  What we do know is all of his symptoms will return, plus some extra ones and then we'll know that due to the extra strain his heart is under due to the mitral valve, his heart wall will enlarge and thicken and we will be heading into heart failure territory.  Hard decision time.
I just wondered if anybody has had experience of this problem before?  How old was the cat when it was diagnosed and how much time their cat had before the quality of their life was compromised?

In the meantime, we're enjoying the company of our littler ginger and white boy with the big personality.