Possible heart failure?

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Oh Heather.  There are no words adequate.  I think it was his time to go.  His beautiful heart couldn't go on.

[heather sullivan]

 :'(Sadly today Simon-Tiddles gained his wings and is now chasing butterflies and mice over the rainbow bridge along with Silvie and Moses the Devil Cat. He had gone downhill in the last week, had a 24hr heart monitor and had to stay in vets weds and thurs, but yesterday he deteriorated and I sat with him all day holding his paw and stroking him, his heart was racing and his stomach seemed quite swollen. His feet and mouth were very cold. I didn't give him his meds for a few days as he was really out of it. This morning he seemed a little bit better, had drunk a lot and even eaten a whole sachet of whiskas soup (i took the lumps out and gave them to Tommyturd who eats anything). I had given him some antibiotics yesterday as thought maybe he had an infection somewhere. Tonight at 8pm I thought I would give him his Diltiazem pill which is to slow the heart down as his was too fast. I managed to get it down him after a few goes, gave him a cuddle and went down for my dinner. I went back up to see him at 9.15pm to try and get him to eat some more but I couldn't find him. I then looked under the bed and he was just lying there, I couldn't see him breathing. Picked him up and he was all floppy and he had gone. Such a shock, I am now feeling so bloody guilty that I gave him the pill - did it make his heart stop or is it just coincidence and his body just gave up? I was due to take him back to the vets tomorrow as I was worried about him.  He is now wrapped up in a towel in his carrier and tomorrow my brother is going to come over and bury him under the apple tree where he spent many hours catching mice from next door. I know he is not suffering any more but it is so heartbreaking. He was only 4 years old, a rescue cat with a great personality. Going to miss him so much. Will write a bit more about him for the Rainbow Bridge page when I feel better 

[Rosella moggy]

Such good news.  Delighted for you both Heather 

[dawnf]

great news about Simon - I love Celia Hammond, they are a charity I support when I can and do amazing work

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

I can just imagine how you felt, leaving him, Heather.  It all sounds a lot more positive.  Always helpful to have that further information and must be reassuring.  I bet they were incredibly grateful for the donations. 

[heather sullivan]

I took Simon back to Celia Hammond vets today for a heart scan. (Ultrasound) Dropped him off at 9am felt terrible as he had to be starved from midnight in case he needed sedation and his little face staring at me when they took him away from me A long long long day waiting for the call, I rang at 230pm then at 430pm when they said I could collect him. Had a long wait but finally got called in, and good news is that they said on the scan his heart seemed normal, no gallop rhythm, no murmur so now he has to go to their other branch in Canning Town to have an ECG.  They fell in love with him, said he was a sweetheart, and they didnt need to sedate him, he just lay there purring I suppose it could be the meds are slowing his heart down, but I am pleased there was no evidence of heart disease. Need to ring and book his ECG tomorrow. My previous vet charged £300 for the scan, today I paid £48! As I do a bit of work as a local cat sitter, I had collected a small metal cage, a plastic carrier cage and a huge scratching post, so I took them in and they were very grateful (for those of you who don't know Celia Hammond Animal Trust is a charity) and provides low cost neutering and treatment for people on low wages.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Heather, got my fingers crossed too. 

[heather sullivan]

So pleased you've been able to get another opinion from specialist Heather.  Also great to hear that Clopidogrel now comes in small enough dose to give whole.  It's supposed to be best protection against blood clots which was our major fear for Boris.

Everything crossed here that all will be well and meds can be reduced at least. 

Catching mice and chasing foxes eh?  With a heart condition? 

He hates the Clopidogrel its quite a biggish pill for a smaller dose, but it is coated. I am getting quite good at tipping his head back and aiming for the back of his throat but his tongue is a bit of a catapult, I have lost a few meds along the way

He has always been a hunter, I have tried to rescue hundereds of mice from his jaws over the last 2 years. He has also brought in a few pigeons thru the cat flap in the last year, had pigeon feather carnage in the hallway and half bald pigeons flying round the kitchen!

He still seems fine, got to make an appointment for him to go back to see the vet in 2 weeks time. Will keep you all informed. Thank you for all your good wishes

[Rosella moggy]

So pleased you've been able to get another opinion from specialist Heather.  Also great to hear that Clopidogrel now comes in small enough dose to give whole.  It's supposed to be best protection against blood clots which was our major fear for Boris.

Everything crossed here that all will be well and meds can be reduced at least. 

Catching mice and chasing foxes eh?  With a heart condition? 

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

Thanks for the update Heather. I share Rosella's cautious optimism that Simon is not ready to leave you yet! 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Reason for cautious optimism, Heather.  Am so pleased you've been able to get a second opinion.  Have everything crossed here.  Keep us posted. 

[heather sullivan]

Its a bit of a strange thing going on with Simon. Took him back to vets last week and his heart still had the gallop rhythm. She said he could only have weeks/months left and to keep him on the meds and see him back this week. As we have spent a lot of ££££ on treatment so far, I rang Celia Hammond animal charity to see if they had a cardiac vet there so I could get another opinion. Luckily as I am semi retired I qualifed to see them and my vets sent over Simon's medical history. Went to see the vets at Celia Hammond on monday, bit of a longer journey to get to and had to wait for a bit but saw a lovely young lady vet who examined Simon for ages, after we went through his history, and she said if she hadn't known his history she would think he was normal. His heart rate was around 168 and his pulse matched, which it hasnt before, she listened to his heart and said she only heard 1 beat of a gallop rhythm which she said was nothing to worry about and his heart and lungs sounded clear. His membranes were nice and pink too. (the little sod had caught a mouse in the garden half an hour before we left) she also looked at his ultrasound report and said his heart muscle was only borderline enlarged, it can go up to 6mm and his was 6.2mm. So the plan is to keep him on his meds for another 3-4 weeks and then go back and have another heart scan and an ECG to see if any changes. She also said it could have been something he had eaten, maybe a dead mouse or something as they are full of toxins. So everything crossed, eyes, fingers and toes that his scan comes back okay in a few weeks time. She said not to take him off any meds at the moment as it is still early days but maybe later we can wean him off some of them. My other vet emailed me and said they had a word with the vet who did his heart scan a few weeks ago and they think maybe he just has primary atrial fibrillation (fast heart rate)..... Its all very confusing but SImon is fine at the moment. He has been racing round the garden, chased a fox the other night!!!! and seems quite happy in himself apart from when I give his his 8 pills a day. He hates the Clopidogrel, he foams at the mouth if he tries to chew it! the vet at CH has given me whole pills now for this and not the quarter tabs and so far has been ok. Bit of a roller coaster the last few weeks down one minute, up the next, then down.....................will keep you informed when we see the vet next. So either the meds are all working or he is getting over something else???    Thank you for asking x

[Rosella moggy]

How is Simon Heather? 

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

Heather, I'm sorry that Simon is so unwell, what a worry it must be for you! 

I'm afraid I have no knowledge of heart failure in cats and even my human knowledge is too rusty to be of any help 

[Rosella moggy]

My experience of heart failure with Boris was different Heather.  Vet could clearly see evidence of fluid collecting around the lungs on xray and clear signs of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy HCM. He was only 5 years old.

I became expert as counting resp rate.  Used to video him while resting for a minute and play back counting each rise of his chest.

He wouldn't tolerate clopidogrel in tablet form as had to try a quarter of tablet for human consumption and tastes vile. He was on frusemide every 8 hours (a diuretic) to get rid of fluid and I ended up having to guess at doses if he had difficulty breathing as stress of vet visits not good for his heart.  He was also on very small dose of aspirin.  I think it was potassium levels that finally took his life.  For four months,  we had to keep a very close eye on him.  Not allowed out alone.

I'm wondering if the frusemide overnight Monday helped to clear fluid which might be why the ultrasound on Tuesday was clear.

When Boris was initially diagnosed I surfed the internet for weeks looking for positive easy solutions but found none.   I however had the HCM diagnosis when you seemingly have no idea what is causing the problem.

I'm so very sorry that Simon is so ill Heather  I think I would keep him in just in case he is ingesting something nasty outside. 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Oh Heather.  It seems inconceivable there could be such a change in such a short period of time, yet you've witnessed it.  I have no experience of this sort of thing. 

sending much love for Simon.   

[heather sullivan]

Its just over a year since I lost Silvie. We have had Simon for 2 years, he is a rescue cat around 4 years old, always been fit and well and bounding around. Last monday I noticed him breathing heavily, had a trip to vet who did xrays and thought it was either heart failure or pneumonia. Had anti biotic jab and told to monitor him. Later that eve he started open mouth breathing - so I rushed him to the emergency vets who charged £220 just to see him! and he isnt insured). They put him on oxygen, said he had gallop rhythm in heart and prob heart failure. Gave him a frusemide injection and a pain killer/sedative and brought him home £400 poorer). Next morning took him back to my vets for check up and they recommended a heart ultrasound at their other branch so I took Simon there later that day and the ultrasound was normal so I was over the moon. I got a copy of the report and no sign of any heart disease or congestive heart failure. Weds he went out in the garden, a bit quiet but seemed ok. Thursday morning he wasnt himself so I took him back to vets and he had a really fast heart rate of over 200 so back to other branch for another ultrasound. This came back as abnormal and he was in atrial fibrillation and probably congestive heart failure. Friday morn his heart was back to nearly 300 (should only be 100-220) so back on oxygen. They started him on Diltiazem to slow his heart down, as well as Vetmedin to help heart pump better, frusemide and clopidogrel to stop blood clots forming. The new meds of Diltiazem got his heart rate back to 166 which was great and he had a good weekend playing in garden for short bursts. Today I could feel his heart pounding again although he seems bright in himself.  What I cant understand is the ultrasound tues showed him heart to be normal with no evidence of any disease yet on thursday he was in heart failure on a follow up ultrasound by the same vet. How can a heart change like that in 2 days? Has anyone ever experienced anything like this before?  He is such a lovely cat, never goes near the road and just plays in our garden and the surrounding gardens. A family friend a retired doctor said maybe he has eaten something poisonous i.e insecticide in the garden. I have googled everything about hearts under the sun and still can't believe he is in heart failure. I said to vet maybe a heart virus but he had no temperature and all his bloods came back fine apart from ALT at 190 and glucose at 8.6. Has anyone got any advice or expereinced anything like this before? PS sorry for long essay