Apparently my cat is going into heart failure

[TheIronLady]

I have a 14/15 year moggy who has suffered with feline asthma for years and years. About 6 months ago took him to vet as I thought he was in pain with his hips, Vet diagnosed athritis without an x-ray. Was told I could increase his Pred if and when necessary to help this. Few weeks later moggy had abcess in gum, two weeks later it came back, then had his teeth cleaned. All this very costly as no insurance.

Noticed he extra grumpy and that he seemed to be breathing a little more rapidly and heavier recently, also caughing (although this is usual from time to time) so took him back last week and Vet said she could hear what could be heart failure, also lungs sounded congested, offered x-rays, blood tests and said he has gingivitis(SP). Well I nearly keeled over when she said estimated cost could be £270 just for the tests of which half had to be paid the next day when he went in. Vet said admission could wait until the New Year.

Does anyone know if x-rays do cost about £80 each?

The cost you've quoted (£270) doesn't seem excessive tbh, and I'm a former vet nurse. There is no set cost per x ray - what you are charged relates to the cost of administering and monitoring a general anaesthetic or sedation, the time taken by the vet and nurse to set up, take, develop and interpret the x rays, and any additional measures needed when anaesthetising an already poorly animal.
I paid £400 recently for x rays of my dog.
Blood tests, depending on what exactly is done, will probably make up at least £50 of the bill.
If you are receiving benefits then the PDSA may be able to help you.
Hope your cat's okay.

Can I be callous and state if he's 14/15 then once he seems unhappy/suffering accept it's the end.

My first cat was diagnosed with a stomache tumour - we were offered surgery etc etc etc we opted for steroid tablets and he had another 11 happy strutting his stuff months, I had to have him PTS when he was around 13. I just didn't think the benefit of knowing what was wrong was worth the stress he would go through having it all done.

weigh up whether actually knowing will affect how he is treated.

my old old cat had heart failure. she got very swollen with fluid. vet drew some off and sent it off and also did an ECG down the phone lines somehow to diagnose it.

knowing didn't affect her last days. i took her home. put on the heating for her. fed her chicken when she wanted it.

not long later she stopped eating and wasn't getting around much and when she strted looking miserable i had her put to sleep.
broke my heart but she had had a very good life.

That fee sounds right to me.

the fees sound reasonable to me too as a vet nurse currently working in practice.

but i would agree, before you take the plunge consider how you will react based on the findings. if the diagnosis is of heart failure, then its daily tablets to treat. if this is impossible to achieve or fund then is is really worth paying for a diagnosis.

and if he had dental treatment 6 months ago i would question that he needs it again so soon.

ask if the lung noise could be due to scarring from years of asthma??

this is a fairly old cat with what sounds like several conditions that there is no "cure" perhaps just dealing with each symptom as it presents itself would be a kinder and more cost effective option.

best of luck with whatever you decide.

Thanks for all your replies.

Well moggy has been stable over christmas (hasn't got worse thankfully).

Yes, just can't really afford that sort of fee if outcome is the same and treatment may only prolong his life for 6/8 months (vets opinion).

I think I am going to see how he goes over the next couple of weeks and if there is any change or the quality of his life changes for the worse then I will not hesitate to do the 'right' thing (vet already mentioned this) but moggy can get quite aggressive and stressed so don't want the vet to have to 'fight' with him if it can be avoided when administering sedation or injection. I am hoping that maybe moggy will just pass over in his sleep without getting worse or suffering.

Lots of attention for moggy I think!

Aw

Hope he does okay. Vets can always do a home visit to put a cat to sleep, if it comes to that: might help reduce the stress.

Keep him warm, and be prepared to offer ever smellier foods if he loses his appetite.

All the very best x

Sadly I recently had an old gal pts (kidney tumour, been on prednisolone but had given up eating) and I was worried that she'd 'put up a fight' and when I mentioned this to the vet she gave her a quick sedative injection in the back of the neck beforehand and the whole process was quite peaceful.

BellasSparklyBaubles, yes a home visit is a good idea.

Catless, I didn't know that they could give sedation in the back of the neck, thanks for telling me, that makes me feel alot better, there was one vet at the practice who developed a real knack of giving him the odd injection in that area without him really knowing. They used to have to contain him in a towel because he can be so vicious, he bit me once in the vets and unfortunately he got me right in the vein on my finger, within five hours my hand was double the size. Obviously had to get it treated next day with two different types of vile antibiotics which changed my taste buds for about a year LOL.

I had our other cat put to sleep (tumour) two years ago and that was so peaceful. My poor old mum had hers put down (tumour) last year and her really lovely vet went to her house but sadly for the moggy it was the most horrendous passing for him; the vet said he would inject, I think mum said it was straight into the kidney, vet said it was quicker, but he had to do it four times before it had an effect on moggy and of course poor moggy was going mad by this stage and my poor mum, well she still can't really mention it now.

I just hope it's peaceful.

We've had two put down in the last two years. Both were injections in back of the neck with no fuss or drama. Very peaceful.

I'm so sorry. I hope he manages happily for a little while longer.

Aww thanks.

not meaning to be nasty its had a good life, maybe the best thing to do is put him to sleep ,hope he has a few more days we you tho

I'm sorry for your news. My cat 8 years ago died of heart failure aged 9. We tried keeping him with us , but we were selfish at the end and when we had made the decision, Honey had taken it from us. He'd passed away peacefully the night before we were going to give permission for his injection. He must have suffered in the last couple of days as he was so think and had probomes breathing, I wish we had done it earlier.
Don't be afraid to say goodbye.

Poor moggy has been caughing badly during the past three nights, upped his pred slightly, lying on sofa most of evening and think I will have to take to vets tomorrow to have him put to sleep; he's been so lethargic all day, he's hungry but only ate a mouthful or two. He keeps rearranging which side he lays on, when on front his little mouth opens when breathing and when on side he breaths quite hard. I may have to even call the vet tonight if he gets really bad, just don't want him to suffer. I was dreading this, I never thought i'd wish for him to go in his sleep tonight, think i'll let him sleep on my bed tonight.

I am sorry, IronLady - does sound like putting him to sleep might be the kindest thing

Very best of luck x

So sorry to hear he has got worse, Ironlady. It must be heartbreaking but it sounds like you have done all you can and that he has been a much loved puss.