Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

Original poster

Devastated my kitten might have HCM - Advice pleass

18 replies

KellyM1998 · 27/01/2023 20:12

Hi all, took my little kitten to the vets for his second vaccinations. The vet picked up a grade 6 heart murmur. Took him to another vets today to get a second opinion, Although she didn’t agree it was grade 6, she said he has a grade 4 or 5 murmur. His HR was also 280 :(

He is well in himself and very playful at the moment.

He has been to the vets before three times and nothing was picked up then.

I am paying for him to have a scan on Monday.

Just wondering if anyone else has had a cats with HCM and how long did they live for?

Thank you

OP posts:

IconicKitty · 27/01/2023 20:18

I don't have any advice but sorry to hear this. I suggest moving this topic to The Litter Tray as there may be a cat owner with experience of this over there.

RumNotRun · 27/01/2023 20:23

One of my cats had a heart murmur, I think it was 4/5 but the vet wasn't too concerned. They said it will often be worse when the cat is at the vet as they're likely to be nervous/afraid.

My cat lived till he was about 13 but had to be PTS due to an issue with his kidneys. He'd been through multiple surgeries years before and his heart hadn't caused an issue.

I hope your little kitten is ok and that your mind is put at ease soon.

LuluBlakey1 · 27/01/2023 20:25

One of my cats has a heart murmur. I don't know what size. It was picked up when she was a kitten and has never caused her any problems. She is almost 13. Has a yearly check-up. Hope your kitten is ok.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Cats

Oatsamazing · 27/01/2023 20:27

One of my cats has this, we didn't know until he had a heart attack when he was 1. He was treated by a cardiologist at a specialist vet (covered by insurance) and was on medication for a year. He's fit and well and will be 9 this year.

OhBeAFineGuyKissMe · 27/01/2023 20:31

My cat has a heart Muker, either 5 or 6. Very loud, can be very clearly heard everywhere.

She had a doplar scan just before her neutering operation as they didn't want to risk it with out. Quite significant back flow from her aortic valve.

She is on the small size 3.5kg (both parents were bigger) but no other ill effects. Might develop problems but no sign yet. We will just wait and see how her life turns out but no worry about it until it happens.

We don't have insurance, cover costs ourselves, so that might be affected.

Original poster

KellyM1998 · 27/01/2023 20:35

Is she on any medication? Mine isn't insured either so I'll be covering the costs if he needs medication. The vet said the bill on Monday will be between £120 and £150. More than happy to pay for it as I want to know what's going on.

OP posts:

OhBeAFineGuyKissMe · 27/01/2023 20:49

Not on any medication. Some research shows benefit to starting before problems but other says no effect. No enough research really.

She isn't a cat who would be easy to medicate, 3 monthly workers ate traumatic for everyone.

We will just see how it goes.

FlibbertyGibbitt · 27/01/2023 21:19

Mine had a heart murmur . Lived until she was 16 though .

Original poster

KellyM1998 · 27/01/2023 21:26

Do you know what grade it was? Did she need medication? Just worried as they think it's grade 5/6

OP posts:

FlibbertyGibbitt · 27/01/2023 21:32

Mine wasn’t on medication, they used to pick it up when she had her vaccinations. She was diagnosed with Diabetes last July and I lost her in October ☹️

Original poster

KellyM1998 · 27/01/2023 21:37

Oh bless you, I'm so sorry to hear that. How old was she when the first mentioned the murmur?

OP posts:

Original poster

KellyM1998 · 28/01/2023 13:43

Bump

OP posts:

FlibbertyGibbitt · 28/01/2023 19:14

KellyM1998 · 27/01/2023 21:37

Oh bless you, I'm so sorry to hear that. How old was she when the first mentioned the murmur?

I think she was quite young but she wasn’t on anything for that . Just when she developed diabetes. I really miss her as she was a lovely girlie . Hope your kitty is ok x

Original poster

KellyM1998 · 30/01/2023 17:42

What did your cats cardiologist say? Mine has been diagnosed with HCM and a small hole in his heart.

OP posts:

Original poster

KellyM1998 · 30/01/2023 17:43

How old is your cat? Just been told mine has HCM and a small hole in his heart. Was yours diagnosed with anything?

OP posts:

FearlessENT · 15/11/2023 01:25

Hello, sorry for reviving this thread, may I ask how your cat is doing, and what happened in the past year? our kitten is 6mo and has a grade 5 murmer from 12 weeks, and has recently started feinting. he also has a hole in his heart, so sounds similar to your poor cat. I hope he's managed to pull through, any help is appreciated

CrunchyCarrot · 15/11/2023 01:45

I am so very sorry OP! Yes I do have experience of this, and wish I didn't.

My kitty appeared normal and healthy from the start. There was no heart murmur, all was good. At 1 yr 8 months he suddenly collapsed in the street, a neighbour came to alert me. We didn't know what had happened, thought a car hit him, rushed him to the vet, he was having trouble breathing. At that point, a new heart murmur was detected. We nearly lost him, but he was on oxygen and recovered. X-rays showed what looked like an enlarged heart, plus his breathing rate was up at dangerous levels (40 breaths per minute, should be in the 20s).

He was put on furosemide (to reduce accumulating fluid around the lungs/heart) and clopidogrel (against clotting) and sent to a cardiologist vet for a heart scan. It revealed heart failure due to HCM and a prognosis of 6-12 months to live at the most. We were heart broken. It seemed impossible that this seemingly healthy, active and perfect kitty had HCM.

He was reasonable to medicate, we used pill pockets to put the tiny pill pieces in. A few weeks after diagnosis he came in gasping for breath and we again rushed him to the vet. This time there was nothing they could do and he was euthanised. He was only 2 yrs old and had only lived 6 weeks after diagnosis.

My vet told me cats are far harder to treat for HCM than say dogs or humans as the latter have many more treatment options.

Surely2023IsTheYearForMyRainbowBabyYeahRight · 15/11/2023 01:55

Mine also had a heart murmur, although I'm not sure what grade it was. He lived until he was 16 before I lost him to kidney failure. The only time his heart murmur was worse was during his final week and the Vet noted harsh chest sounds, but he did state that could also possibly be either the stress from being at the Vets and having to have his bladder manually expressed or potentially excess fluid around his heart. His back leg had also ballooned up suddenly which I initially thought was due to him jumping off my knee and slipping on my wooden floor

Flip