Cat has just been diagnosed with HCM (Heart Disease)

[ToddlerTornado]

My lovely 13 year old cat has just been diagnosed with HCM. His heart is very enlarged, and although we don’t know his exact breed, he looks like he could have some Maine Coon in him.

He used to be 9kg but has dropped to 6.5kg while being unwell. We first realised something was wrong when his breathing didn’t look right, and it turned out he had fluid around his lungs which was stopping them expanding properly. The vets drained most of it and his breathing is much better now, which was such a relief.

He’s now on the highest dose of Vetmedin, Libeo for the fluid, and clopidogrel for anti-clotting. The vets can’t really say how long he might have, or how well he’ll respond.

I just feel very worried. Has anyone else had a cat with HCM at this stage? I’d really like to hear others’ experiences on how your cat coped, did the medication help? , and what to expect. I just want him to be happy and comfortable for however long he has left.

Yes I have, sadly my kitty was only 2 when diagnosed with HCM. It was already pretty advanced and he was in heart failure. His outward symptoms were just a fast breathing rate on occasion. We only found out because one day he collapsed and had to be rushed to the vet. After a few hours in an oxygen tent, he recovered, then had a heart scan and the problem was discovered. He was put on furanoside (a diuretic that helps dispel some of the excess fluid which builds up around the heart) and clopidogrel. Cats don't really show much in the way of symptoms so it can be hard to judge what is helping.

My vet told me that treatment for cats with HCM is limited compared with that for dogs and humans. There's not a lot they can do. My cat was given 6-12 months to live, but sadly died after just 5 weeks. He was living a pretty normal life between diagnosis and his death, he was going out and about.

I am very sorry to hear of your kitty's diagnosis. Just give him loads of love!

My Maine Coon was diagnosed about a year ago when she was 11 months old. She wasn’t really showing any symptoms but a trip to the vet for a different reason showed a very severe heart murmur. For now she is happy and well but we know her life won’t be a long one 😢

This is a bit strange but DH has suggested Bexacat. He says your vet will think this is for diabetes but it can be used for heart failure in cats. There are definitely more drugs that can be used.
He is not a vet but an expert in human heart failure.

@17to35does he think this would be a more effective medication?

I just asked him and he does. Obviously your vet has seen your cat and can assess him.

One of my Persians had it very badly. She did really well on medication. However increasing her diuretics knocked her kidneys off and that’s what she died of. She lived for nine months after diagnosis. You’d never have believed she was so unwell. She was only not herself for the last couple of days.

She was 8

Maia was on 8 tablets a day. Fortunately she was very good with them.

Bexacat is not approved in UK or EU. Senvelgo (Velagliflozin) is available though.

@ToddlerTornado Ask for a referral to a veterinary cardiologist.

We had similar with our 14 year old cat in June. He was rushed to vets with breathing issues which turned out to be a fluid build up around his lungs.

After the op to drain the fluid, he was set home with water tablets and a daily tablet of 2.5 benazepril hydrochloride whole we waited for blood tests to reveal the underlying cause.

In the meantime he wasn't doing well and lost a lot of weight and was lethargic, I thought It was the end, so I took him off the water tablets as I felt they were draining him of too much fluid, and he improved massively within 24 hours.

A week after his op our vet appointment confirmed heart problems. The Vet checked him out and was pleased with his progress and was fine with him staying on the benazepril hydrochloride only. He had another appointment a month later for annual booster and his heart was still fine.

Three months later and he is still doing very well. He has gained weight, muscle tone and his fur is glossy, he plays with our other cat and is active for an old man. Previously he was taking himself off to sleep on the beds, but we notice he is around us a lot more watching what we are doing.

We are aware he is on borrowed time and he turns 15 soon, but at the moment his quality of life is very good. He is on one tablet a day which he takes with good grace and that seems to be keeping him well.

I don't know if my cat has the same diagnosis but about 18 months ago her breathing became laboured (fluid on lungs) and shd was runninv a temperature. I was told she was in heart failure and she was given a prognosis of a few months. She's now 1 year passed that prognosis date and you couldn't tell anything is wrong with her!

She takes the same medication as yours, is eating well, playing and as happy as anything.

I don't know for how many more years this will continue, but she's gone from a hopeless case to thinking she could live with this condition for many years yet.

I'm sorry you're faced with this but don't despair right now - take things a day at a time and spoil him rotten

Thank you everyone