My Persian boy just died on friday night.He just turned 11 on st patty's day. I found him partially curled up as he would sleep normaly but already stiff and w/ eyes almost open.He died when I was at work. He looked comfortable so I think he didn't even know what's comming.
He was treated for heart murmus grade IV since october 07.Never had any other symptoms that would tell us what is comming. I'm glad he didn't suffer but I miss him and cry and cry. My vet never recommended ultrasound and more likely I couldn't afford cardiologist for him anyway.When he was first diagnosted, I was told he might live a month or 5 years, it depended on how this whole thing,including renal failure will progress. On the day he died he begged for his daily treats before I went to work, he ate and used litterbox as always. Just few hours later he was gone. He was a special little kitty andwill be missed always.
Hello. I am very sorry to hear about Charlie.
My cat, Cisco, (age 8) was at the vet today. (I took him for his annual exam two months early, because he has seemed less active than usual this winter). They noticed a level II murmur. I wanted to do research on the internet before deciding to spend the $433 for the ultrasound (my vet uses a university to do the test, then ships it to a veterinary heart specialist who reads it). From what I am reading, it appears that there are multiple reasons to get the ultrasound done now, so I am going to schedule it on Monday when the vet calls me with his blood test results.
Just wanted you to know that your post was appreciated. Wishing you the Lord's comfort in the loss of your dear little friend.
-Kim
I forgot to mention that Charlie was not yet 4 years old when he passed.
My cat, Charlie, had a heart murmur detected when he was examined to be neutered. The vet said there was a risk to him because if a cat has a heart murmur, the stress
involved in the surgery could put him at risk. He told us he can lead a normal life but there was a chance that it wouldn't be as long a life as if he had no murmur.
Long story short, everytime charlie went to the vet (for checkups and boosters) he got very stressed and after we got him home yesterday from the vet, a few hours later he was crying in pain. We took him to vet emergency hospital and he was looked at and the doc knew what was wrong as soon as I said he has a heart murmur. After xrays, that we saw, Charlie was diagnosed with a blood clot and the xray showed many clots including several in the lungs. Doc said the stress caused his heart (most likely because of the murmur), to throw clots, His diagnosis was poor and would probably not make it overnight. we had to put him to sleep which was an extremely difficult decision. We never expected not to bring him home.
The doc said the clots in his lungs would kill him very soon and we didn't want him in pain anymore.
People need to know that a heart murmur in a cat can be a very seriuos thing and something to consider when taking him to the vet. Charlie hated going and would become stressed each time he went. we feel very guilty and feel that if we had just kept him home, maybe he would still be here. The vet last night said though, that this would have happened anyway, and he would not have had much longer. There were just too many clots inside his little body.
Thanks for your comments. No the vet just said it sounded as though he had a slight heart murmur, she also said it could be a stress murmur. We were advised to go and get a heart ultrasound done.
Did you vet grade the murmur? It can mean begining sighs of a heart condition, or nothing at all.
it can be. usually they will place the cat on a blood thinner of some sort.