Am I noticing too much? This is hard!

teacherdl

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A bit of information (although I've posted about it)...Three year old KiKi has just not been herself for the last week. Two weeks ago we took her for her check up, and she received rabies vaccine and her boosters..everything was fine...Then about a week later she started acting "off".  She ate, drank, and used the litter box until New Year's Day just a little less than normal. She just slept all the time and had no energy. (New Year's Eve night she had a "weak spell". She meowed loudly, then kind of froze mid step, seemed to  kind of stumble/lose her balance/weak, and then she was fine.) Went to the vet Monday. They did tons of bloodwork and checked her out. They found the following: She had a 103 degree fever with no infection (so they called it of unknown origins), a grade 3 heart murmur, and her protein was a little high but said that was probably from her not eating well....All of her bloodwork and the vet checking her was fine. They gave her a shot to bring the fever down and an appetite stimulant if needed.  He told us to watch her for a couple of days....

Well, she ate a little bit last night, but still not much. She did pee in the litter box.

I gave her a half pill of the appetite stimulant this morning (what I was told to do), and she has eaten more today that she has in days.  She has also drank quite a bit of water. She did have another brief weak spell this morning...It's like she kind of stumbles or is weak, and then in two seconds she is fine.

She has been more active. She is following me around and wanting me to sit in the recliner with her...but she is meowing at me more than usual, and she seems to be breathing harder than normal. She is moving around more like normal, but her tail is usually low.  I have to go back to work tomorrow, and I am worrying myself sick about it...my youngest has an orthodontist appointment, so I will be late getting home.. I won't be able to watch my kitty much.....My kids (18 and 12) are like, "Mom, she acts fine to us."....So, I don't know if I am just noticing every little thing or what I should do.  My fear is that she is dying or the kids will come home and find her gone. My husband just says that we need to get her back on schedule (where we have been off from school), and see how it goes.  So, am I just imagining the things I am noticing or has she always done these things and I've paid no attention?

So, how in the world am I supposed to watch our kitty like the vet said, but not be home.  Her weak spells are very sporadic. The only thing I'll really be able to tell is if she has eaten or used the bathroom.

Friends have said to get another opinion, but that is about 40 minutes away and I have to go back to work.  Plus, she gets so upset in the car that I am terrified if this is heart related that it will make it worse. About the only option the vet gave is an echocardiogram but again that is about a 1.5 hour drive for us.  We have to work, and I'm terrified that drive will make her worse.

I swear I feel like I'm losing my mind.
 

Kieka

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Give her the few days the vet said to start feeling better. She had a fever so something was going on and you were right to take her in. Just like with humans it can take a little while to feel better once you get medicine. It is a good sign that she is eating and drinking more. The times I have taken Rocket in where she is a little off she is usually almost back to normal in 3-4 days. 

The heart murmur can be scary but in the scale of things a 3 is right in the middle of the scale (1-5 scale) so it isn't the end of the world. You probably do want to do the additional testing to determine the cause of the murmur. I know the drive can be scary but you can ask your vet if it is an option to swing by your vet for a mild sedative to help keep her calm on the drive (although that may affect the testing) or try putting her in a larger carrier (like a wired dog crate) with a cat swing so she is higher and can see out. If it is an option to have a driver and you hold her during the drive I know it calms my cat greatly if he is held and able to see outside of the car while driving (purrito time!). Since infections and stress can cause murmurs and your cat has a fever the vet may be thinking the murmur is a symptom and not the problem at this point or that it is a lesser grade normally and increase by the stress and fever.

I know how hard it is to leave her home alone but I am certain your vet did not expect 24/7 supervision when they said to watch her. Probably more along the lines of monitor her behavior, eating and litter box habits for any changes in a decline. So far you are seeing an improvement. The weak spells are a little concerning but if she is having less of them and eating more it may just be from the fever and reduced food intake. But she doesn't sound like she is close to dying at this point. She is still eating. She is on medication for the fever. She is drinking more. She is using the litter box normally. All good signs. If it would make you feel more comfortable you could look into something like the PetCube and put it in the room she is normally in during the day to check on her while you are gone. 

Make a follow-up appointment for later this week or Monday of next week with your vet. Have them recheck her murmur then to see if it is still a grade 3 or less. That will give you the peace of mind to know if it was caused by the fever or confirm that it is still the same grade after treatment. Also, if her fever hasn't gone down by then you can discuss more thorough bloodwork and other testing you can do at that point. 
 
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teacherdl

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Give her the few days the vet said to start feeling better. She had a fever so something was going on and you were right to take her in. Just like with humans it can take a little while to feel better once you get medicine. It is a good sign that she is eating and drinking more. The times I have taken Rocket in where she is a little off she is usually almost back to normal in 3-4 days. 

The heart murmur can be scary but in the scale of things a 3 is right in the middle of the scale (1-5 scale) so it isn't the end of the world. You probably do want to do the additional testing to determine the cause of the murmur. I know the drive can be scary but you can ask your vet if it is an option to swing by your vet for a mild sedative to help keep her calm on the drive (although that may affect the testing) or try putting her in a larger carrier (like a wired dog crate) with a cat swing so she is higher and can see out. If it is an option to have a driver and you hold her during the drive I know it calms my cat greatly if he is held and able to see outside of the car while driving (purrito time!). Since infections and stress can cause murmurs and your cat has a fever the vet may be thinking the murmur is a symptom and not the problem at this point or that it is a lesser grade normally and increase by the stress and fever.

I know how hard it is to leave her home alone but I am certain your vet did not expect 24/7 supervision when they said to watch her. Probably more along the lines of monitor her behavior, eating and litter box habits for any changes in a decline. So far you are seeing an improvement. The weak spells are a little concerning but if she is having less of them and eating more it may just be from the fever and reduced food intake. But she doesn't sound like she is close to dying at this point. She is still eating. She is on medication for the fever. She is drinking more. She is using the litter box normally. All good signs. If it would make you feel more comfortable you could look into something like the PetCube and put it in the room she is normally in during the day to check on her while you are gone. 

Make a follow-up appointment for later this week or Monday of next week with your vet. Have them recheck her murmur then to see if it is still a grade 3 or less. That will give you the peace of mind to know if it was caused by the fever or confirm that it is still the same grade after treatment. Also, if her fever hasn't gone down by then you can discuss more thorough bloodwork and other testing you can do at that point. 
Thank you so much for your reply! It really helped me to get my thoughts in a better place. I realize that being home is causing me to watch her like a hawk!

She acts so much better today, but then has these weird "spells" of meowing, loud purring, and just acting weird. It's just hard to read it all! Thank you again!
 

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Thank you so much for your reply! It really helped me to get my thoughts in a better place. I realize that being home is causing me to watch her like a hawk!

She acts so much better today, but then has these weird "spells" of meowing, loud purring, and just acting weird. It's just hard to read it all! Thank you again!
I am the exact same way when it comes to problems with my cats so I totally understand what you are going through. I freaked out when I found a lump on Link until it turned out to be just an abscess. I freaked out when Link was holding his leg slightly odd (turns out his cast slipped an inch and was pinching). I can just call the vets office and start talking about Link and they never even ask my name (I've talked to them at least twice a month since August with my accident prone cat this year, sigh). They know exactly who he is and who Rocket is without any further information (its a two vet practice so small anyways). 

I was thinking about it and the "spells" could indicate it is something throwing off her equilibrium. The reduced appetite could be from being nauseous. The heart murmur could be something she had before and unrelated to this situation. But something to bring up with the vet if she isn't better by the end of the week and make sure you don't get caught up on a red herring. Even if the vet rules it out at least you have the peace of mind of mentioning it. 

But *crossing fingers* that what the vet did helped and she is feeling back to normal by the weekend. That is was just one of those unknown origin fevers cats can get. Best of luck. 
 
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teacherdl

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Do you know if the temperature has gone down?
I really think it has. I hate to upset her more by taking it again. She's just getting settled down.
 
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teacherdl

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I am the exact same way when it comes to problems with my cats so I totally understand what you are going through. I freaked out when I found a lump on Link until it turned out to be just an abscess. I freaked out when Link was holding his leg slightly odd (turns out his cast slipped an inch and was pinching). I can just call the vets office and start talking about Link and they never even ask my name (I've talked to them at least twice a month since August with my accident prone cat this year, sigh). They know exactly who he is and who Rocket is without any further information (its a two vet practice so small anyways). 

I was thinking about it and the "spells" could indicate it is something throwing off her equilibrium. The reduced appetite could be from being nauseous. The heart murmur could be something she had before and unrelated to this situation. But something to bring up with the vet if she isn't better by the end of the week and make sure you don't get caught up on a red herring. Even if the vet rules it out at least you have the peace of mind of mentioning it. 

But *crossing fingers* that what the vet did helped and she is feeling back to normal by the weekend. That is was just one of those unknown origin fevers cats can get. Best of luck. 
I love it that I'm not alone!
I really think her temp is down, but I'll be honest, I hate to upset her again by taking it when she is just calming down!
I had actually thought of inner ear/equilibrium trouble. I also couldn't help but wonder if it was something with her vaccines. Just strange timing that she started being lethargic just about a week after them.
She's has definitely been better today... aside from the weird meowing/off balance "spells" off balance once and the weird purring/meowing spells. It lasts for 10 seconds and then she's fine.. so weird!
Right now, she has eaten, gone to the bathroom, and she's snoozing in her spot at the end of my recliner. I'm so hoping this passes...
 
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teacherdl

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I just thought I should do a little update. KiKi is definitely better but still not 100%.  She is eating more (Dry food that is her normal and chicken and gravy baby food which she loves.) She is also drinking well.  She is using the litter box...maybe not as much as before, but definitely an improvement.  She has times of acting 100% normal and other times where she sleeps more and seems to breathe a little harder than normal. We are just kind of letting her do whatever she wants to, and she loves that. It's hard to know what to do.
 

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Please call your vet and give them an update on your observations from the last couple days, they need to know and so they can record this in Kiki's health record.

It is possible the vaccines caused a low-grade fever and general malaise - while these mild reactions are common, they usually present the day of, or the next day after vaccination - ask the vet to be sure to record this possibility in her health record for future decisions on vaccinations.  Vaccinations should also be spread apart by 4 weeks (rabies one week, FVRCP the 4th week, FELV the 8th week, for example)

The murmur should always be monitored, usually 4-6 weeks intervals at initial diagnosis to watch for any changes that may require additional diagnostics to gauge full heart function. If no significant changes or other health conditions present, twice a year re-checks on the murmur may be sufficient (follow your vet's instruction) - Changes in breathing, respirations, weakness etc should always be checked by the vet, you want to always be one step ahead of a potential heart condition, respiratory issue etc.  An xray would certainly be helpful at this point, as a reference point so that if this continues and does not resolve, a repeat xray can be done to compare for change and aid the vet on the next step if necessary.

If the yowling was loud, frequent and unusual for her at all, alert the vet - in older cats, this could be hyperthyroidism (yet any cat at any age can be affected - unlikely to be in 3-yr-old Kiki, but should be ruled out), a response to pain, a more involved heart condition.  Any time you notice strange and unusual behavior, always alert your vet.  It's always better to have them checked and have peace of mind for doing so.
 

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I just thought I should do a little update. KiKi is definitely better but still not 100%.  She is eating more (Dry food that is her normal and chicken and gravy baby food which she loves.) She is also drinking well.  She is using the litter box...maybe not as much as before, but definitely an improvement.  She has times of acting 100% normal and other times where she sleeps more and seems to breathe a little harder than normal. We are just kind of letting her do whatever she wants to, and she loves that. It's hard to know what to do.
Glad she is eating more and showing signs of improvement. 

The breathing is a little concerning. Maybe call the vet and let them know? 
 

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I am glad little Kiki is feeling better.. that is a bit of a load off of your worried shoulders.. but, to be on the safe side, I would just contact the Vet about her breathing.. it may be absolutely nothing, but you want to be sure.. poor baby..

FYI, a lot of murmurs in cats are functional.. meaning that they do not cause any harm in the long run, it is just a glitch like some people have one finger longer than normal..You could seriously think about an echocardiogram.  In my opinion, that is more important and can give more information on the heart than a chest x-ray...The chest x-ray will show an enlargement of the heart, or any chest masses... the X-ray is cheaper, but the more diagnostic is the echocardiogram done by a cardiologist.. they are expensive..

You know, all of us can suggest things; but the ultimate person to listen to for advice is your own Vet.. they know you and your kitty. 

None of us are here to provide medical advice, especially in place of a Vet. We are here to provide suggestions and support to each other...

You are doing a great job.. Kiki is lucky to have you as a mom.. 

When the Vet says to watch her closely; I am sure he does not mean to stay home with her, but just keep an eye peeled when you are home, as you do for your own human children..

((hugs)) to you and please keep us updated...
 
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teacherdl

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Thanks everybody for the input, support, and advice! I'll be honest and say I don't know if the breathing is different or not... I'm now noticing everything! So I don't know whether she's breathing hard or not. I'm now wondering if it's just her normal breathing. It's not fast because I've counted it. I've honestly wondered if it was something from her vaccines. The vet gave them all in one day, and I did mention this to the vet, but he acted like that wasn't a possibility. I'm not convinced. The timing was odd.
 

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Well you do have to be observant to her breathing and respirations, overall behavior due to her murmur, it's part of monitoring her in conjunction with your vet's direction, follow up diagnostics, etc.
 
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teacherdl

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I am glad little Kiki is feeling better.. that is a bit of a load off of your worried shoulders.. but, to be on the safe side, I would just contact the Vet about her breathing.. it may be absolutely nothing, but you want to be sure.. poor baby..

FYI, a lot of murmurs in cats are functional.. meaning that they do not cause any harm in the long run, it is just a glitch like some people have one finger longer than normal..You could seriously think about an echocardiogram.  In my opinion, that is more important and can give more information on the heart than a chest x-ray...The chest x-ray will show an enlargement of the heart, or any chest masses... the X-ray is cheaper, but the more diagnostic is the echocardiogram done by a cardiologist.. they are expensive..

You know, all of us can suggest things; but the ultimate person to listen to for advice is your own Vet.. they know you and your kitty. 

None of us are here to provide medical advice, especially in place of a Vet. We are here to provide suggestions and support to each other...

You are doing a great job.. Kiki is lucky to have you as a mom.. 

When the Vet says to watch her closely; I am sure he does not mean to stay home with her, but just keep an eye peeled when you are home, as you do for your own human children..

((hugs)) to you and please keep us updated...
I just wanted to thank you for your positive response and for saying KiKi is lucky to have me.  I've been feeling so overwhelmed and unsure of what to do or not do for her that those few words meant a great deal to me. I hope you and Artie have a wonderful, peaceful, uneventful weekend (and glad your HVAC is fixed!) :)
 
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teacherdl

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I just wanted to update that KiKi is 99% back to normal.  She is eating, drinking, going to the bathroom, and having normal activity. The only thing I notice is that she seems to breathe a little hard after activity (no panting)...but to be honest, I'm not sure if she has always done this, and I'm just noticing it now.  I'm just thankful that she is acting normal. Thanks to everyone who posted help for me. I really appreciate it.  I really wonder if all of this sickness was caused by a problem with some of her vaccines.
 
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