Heart defect

[OooeeeoooeeeoooeeEthel]

My gorgeous Snowshoe boy Zebedee had a large murmur picked up at his annual check. He went for a heart ultrasound and other tests yesterday to confirm the degree of heart failure he has (he is only 6). Turns out he is NOT in heart failure at all - he is a medical mystery with extra valves & tubes in his heart! They don't know what to make of him. They are speaking to a heart specialist later today so we will know more later.
Has anyone else had a youngish cat with heart problems?

[Vulgar]

My british shorthair girl was diagnosed with a heart murmur at 6 months old. I was told she may not live to a great age . . . she died last year aged 18 and a half! I don't know if it was the murmur but she got rather fat and spent most of her life snoozing.

Hope you have good news with Zebedee.

[saltyair]

One of mine has a heart murmur - he was diagnosed at about a year, he's now 4. Doesn't seem to bother him at all - the vet checks him out yearly to check it isn't getting any worse, which it isn't.


He is mental, and is currently following me round looking at me beseechingly, but I think that is a being cold issue rather than a heart issue!!

[OooeeeoooeeeoooeeEthel]

They told us at his check that his heartbeat was only 2/3rds of what it should be, and his pulse was even slower; that we should keep him in or near the house as any strenuous activity would overload his heart and he would drop down. Fat chance - he lives between the farm and the canal most of the day!
We had almost decided not to have it investigated as we would rather he had a full short life than a longer unwell life full of medication and possibly a pacemaker. In the end though, as insurance covers it, we decided to at least have the diagnostic tests done.

Well yesterday he bit the vet twice when they tried to sedate him (hahaha dont bloody blame him!)so they did most of the tests and the above post is what they told us yesterday.

Know what though? The vets all said he was absolutely fit despite the slow heartbeat and they could not make him fit any known condition yet. He is apparently very unusual.

I love my cat. Hopeful waiting for the call from the vet.

[OooeeeoooeeeoooeeEthel]

Saltyair is he looking at you beseechingly cos you opened the fridge door by any chance?

Vulgar I really hope Zeb manages to live that long. Its nice to know cats who defy the odds and live a nice long life.

[saltyair]

No OOOOOOEEEEEE he is looking at me like that because he wants me to sit down so he can get on my lap. This begins in October and lasts until April. I'm like his own personal hotseat. He is sure I have nothing more important to do.

[Lizcat]

Cat with hole in the heart (shocking awful murmur) belonging to a dearest vet friend. Rescued from the streets of Hong Kong moved to Brazil when 2, moved to UK 6 months in quarantine when 5, moved to Georgia, Russia when 8 years old still going strong killing Russian rats at 10 years old.
Having had one patient have a pacemaker fitted by the lovely Luca (our fab cardiologist) they do very well with very little intervention. We have another patient pending fitting to.

[ghostLady]

Hi all very interesting post/group...glad I found it. I wanted to ask anyone has a child with a pacemaker? If so would love to hear from you. ♡

[Weedsnseeds1]

ghostlady this is the cat board so we're talking about cats with pacemakers rather than children
There's a section called "being a parent" that I believe has a health section. You might find someone who can give more specific answers there?

[Weedsnseeds1]

Sorry just checked for you. The board is "health" then there's a "children's health" sub- heading.