Can I have a hand hold please?

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

Harry has a heart murmur. He’s had a cough for a while and had left his biscuits a couple of times so we decided to get him checked out. His normal vet has left so he saw a locum who gave him a good going over and said he has a heart murmur both sides and gingivitis.

He’s had a blood test (I can’t remember what they are testing for) and I’ve got to wait for the results either tomorrow or Monday and then they’ll decide whether he needs to be referred for an echocardiogram. He also can’t have the dental until they know what they are dealing with. I sat in the waiting room when he had his blood test and was sobbing as my Mum died of heart failure last year and the vet was telling me everything the doctor told me then.

I don’t know what to do about the echo to be honest. Apparently he’ll have to go to the RVC or North Downs, which will mean a long time in the car. I also don’t want him to be sedated more than necessary as he had a bad reaction last time. Obviously I wouldn’t not have the dental if he needs it.

It’s so bloody unfair. He’s currently prowling the living room as though he’s lost something and is refusing to eat his wet food as he knows I’ve stocked up. Normal for him in other words.

Oh Pink, so sorry to hear that. You must be very worried. I don't have any experience of this, but wanted to send best wishes. You've been through a lot

Thank you. I couldn’t believe it when the vet told me as he was given a clean bill of health in December. I’ve spoken to his cat sitter who has reassured me a bit and told me to let him enjoy life and have as little treatment as possible. I love her, she always puts my mind at rest

Oh bloody hell harry, not you causing more trouble again. I know you are gorgeous, but even so, give your human a break.

Maia's cardiologist says out if all the cats she sees, she only has to sedate two. Maia doesn't have sedation for hers. Are you allowed to stay with him during the scan. The nurse holds her and I stroke her head and wisher sweet nothings to her. She just looks martyred!!

If it is bad news, it's not the end of the world. Though it does feel like it. Maia is not unwell and lives her normal lazy life.
Sending healing purrs.

No one thought to tell me Maia's murmur was as bad as it was. And although I knew it was there, she also got a clean bill of health just a few weeks before. Apparently they should never have gone ahead with her dental.

I would suggest having the echo scan done anyway. As you'll never quite relax until you know either way. I didn't with Maia from the first time it was mentioned and couldn't with Magic either. I'm much calmer now I know she's not got it.

Thanks Toddler, I can’t believe his got something else wrong with him. Once we have the blood test results back I’ll find out if there’s a local vet that does echos. If there is we’ll have him referred but I’m only going to agree to it if he’s not sedated. He goes limp at the vets so it might be ok. I’ll probably let DH go with him as he’s calmer than me!

My major issue is trying to decide what he wants to eat! So far he’s refused everything I’ve put before him apart from his biscuits! Where’s that crystal ball?!

If he goes limp, he'll be fine. Maia does it abd you can practically see her relax as she realises nothing bad will happen.

We’re going to think very carefully about it over the weekend. I would never put a price on him but we’ve got an excess of £125 plus 20% of treatment so we need to think about the cost, especially if we don’t want to put him through a lot of treatment.

So far this evening he’s prowled around the house, been on the kitchen work top, got under DH’s recliner so he couldn’t move and is now curled up on my recliner with me. He runs around (hence the gammy leg at Christmas), isn’t drinking any more than usual, doesn’t get out of breath and only coughs when he wakes up.

He's as if he's doing quite well on it.
Did the vet give any indication of possible treatment? If there's no realistic treatment, would it be better not to take him for the echo? If you can't change the outcome, why do it?
On the other hand if it's likely to be able to be managed in some way, he's not that old and he sounds quite bright in himself?

He is. I’ve just had to stop him jumping from the sofa onto my frog shelf (I collect Tim Cotterill bronze frogs)!

When we know the outcome of the blood test I’m going to speak to the vet about the options. I might also move him to another branch so he can have some continuity if he needs treatment. I’ve nothing against the vet today, she was lovely, but she’s only there for a few weeks and they have no permanent replacement yet. He had the wire taken out of his jaw at the other branch and they were lovely with him. At least he’d be seeing the same vet.

If it can be managed with minimal intervention then great. If not we’ll think about what’s best for him and not us.

Maia has tablets twice a day and the cardiologist is going to see her In June. She's completely her usual self with it.

I think our three cats must win first prize in the how to stress your human competition. I thought cats are supposed to be relaxing! It's a year today since I posted the exact same title, as Magic was on deaths door!

My cat has a heart murmur and my vet said many cats do. Perhaps Harry has always had murmurs and coped fine with them

Hi op! I wanted to let you know my cat, Moxie, had had a heart murmur, COPD and gingivitis for about 15 years now. ...

She's 20, and is looking like we will have to put her down as she isn't walking well and had lost control of her bladder. But it won't be due to her heart...

Sarah Smith Cardiology in Derby is brilliant. Although a bit far for you.

Thanks everyone, I love the Litter Tray, it’s so supportive.

Little, I’m sorry to hear about Moxie. It sounds as though she’s had a lovely long life.

greenharp, that’s interesting. Maybe he has always had it. It wouldn’t surprise me with him!

Toddler, what you mean about stressing their humans! They’re also trying to bankrupt the insurance companies - the vet said something about the shares in Petplan dropping because of this!

Dances, thank you - I don’t drink wine but I might have to crack open the Baileys! Harry waves to Tom and says stay safe!

And here’s a picture of the patient...

Oh no, they know how to age us do hand hold from here! Coco had a slight heart murmur which was only picked up when she was referred but as she was having an ultrasound for other things they checked her heart which was ok for surgery. Funnily her teeth were the only thing which were good!

I live in dreams of Tesco's declining to reinsure them!

Oh Harry! You really are in the wars you silly puss. Hugs and scritches to you and for pinksparklypussycat.

Dread, not dreams!

My cat has a heart murmur. Last May she needed a dental and it was pointed out there was a health risk particularly with a heart murmur. I was given the option of further investigation, which I declined. I know there's always a risk but she had her operation (teeth removed and a clean) and came through. She was 17 at the time. By the way, they won't operate without having done a blood test as they need to know if there are any other underlying conditions.