Cat Has Neurological (maybe?) Issues After Chf

fromthevalley

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Kaylee has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Detail of every wrong can be given if asked.

So Thursday night (4/4) mom called and said Kaylee looked sick and was coughing. I met her at the local vet, where chest X-rays showed fluid in her lungs. Her respitory rate was high, but she’s always had a high one when going to the vets (and panics when she doesn’t see her favourite doctor). She was given a shot of lasix and sent home (their oxygen tank is crude, and they don’t have anyone to monitor past 11pm). We came home with a supply of lasix and a plan to see her cardiologist the next day.

Around 4am Kaylees condition worsened again so I took her up to the cardiologist on an emergency basis. Unfortunately, the one Friday Kaylee got sick was the one where my cardio wasn’t available for emergency consult. However they were able to contact her and send her Thursday nights X-rays and Friday mornings X-rays. Thankfully, the problem seemed to stem from the fact that the lasix shot had worn off and she declined again before the next dose. The X-rays Friday looked a lot better than Thursdays. They gave her another shot, her respitory rate went down to 40, no coughing after an hour after that, and they sent me home on an increased dose with the plan to see her cardiologist on Monday.

By 3pm, while her respitory rate was down to 20 and she only had a few small coughing fits, she started to look like what I posted in the video attached.

My local vet is stumped and the neurologist at the same clinic as the cardio, but on an “on loan” bases and won’t be able to get here until Wed. My cardio said she’d happily do the same tests he’d run, then send the files to him, but once again I can’t see her until Monday. The nearest option doesn’t accept care credit and the one after charges outrageous fees. And I don’t know what the heck this is.
 

FeebysOwner

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Hi. I wish I could offer some intelligent insight, but I can't. I did some reading on CHF, and did not find that neurological issues are even mentioned. There are a couple of forums related to feline heart disease. Maybe while you wait to see what other members might have to say on this site, you could sign up with them??

Feline Heart Disease

Yahoo! Groups
 
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fromthevalley

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Hi thanks for your input! ^_^ I’m already signed up for them...Kaylee has has cardiomyopathy for nearly 5 years now. This was just the first site I posted this issue on.
 
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fromthevalley

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FeebysOwner FeebysOwner

It’s now Monday at approx. 1:30pm. I am at my cardiologist and I can tell you right now Kaylee is a scientific mystery to all the vets. Everything in that video? 100% gone. They disappeared on the car ride here. Besides her already enlarged heart and maybe, maybe, and upper respitory infection, she’s fine. I showed three docs of different specialties the video and they are stumped.
 

FeebysOwner

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Sometimes the adrenaline from being taken to the vet kicks in and can change symptoms quickly. A while back when Feeby was limping, but when I took her to the vet, the stress/aggravation/etc. increased her adrenaline, and her limp was next to non-existent. Go figure.

Did you share that video with the feline heart groups yet?
 
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fromthevalley

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Nothing. I forgot the one site was abandoned a few years back.

And it’s not the adrenaline. She was like that for over 48 hours, minus sleeping time. I mean all the time. Seizure would have killed her a long time ago, heart problems don’t cause neurological problems unless she happened to have a stroke or blood clot but her symptoms didn’t match. Which I knew and why I hoped someone might know, but my cardio, the neuro, and another doc I forgot what she did were 100% stumped when they saw the video. All her tests - minus the original X-rays and her heart - are normal. And they have to put her under for an MRI but that’s way to risky.
 

daftcat75

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They gave her another shot, her respitory rate went down to 40, no coughing after an hour after that, and they sent me home on an increased dose with the plan to see her cardiologist on Monday.

By 3pm, while her respitory rate was down to 20 and she only had a few small coughing fits, she started to look like what I posted in the video attached.
Sounds to me like a reaction to the lasix.

Furosemide - Pet, Dog and Cat Medication and Prescription List | petMD
Furosemide may result in these side effects:
  • Dehydration
  • Increased water intake
  • Increased sensitivity to light
  • Lethargy
  • Restlessness
  • Increased heart rate
  • Tilting of the head in cats
  • Reduced ability to hear in cats
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Seizures
  • Loss of appetite
 

SiameseMummy

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Sounds to me like a reaction to the lasix.

Furosemide - Pet, Dog and Cat Medication and Prescription List | petMD
Furosemide may result in these side effects:
  • Dehydration
  • Increased water intake
  • Increased sensitivity to light
  • Lethargy
  • Restlessness
  • Increased heart rate
  • Tilting of the head in cats
  • Reduced ability to hear in cats
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Seizures
  • Loss of appetite
I think the tilting of the head comes from potassium deficiency that can be caused by the diuretic effect. Vaguely remember something about that when my girl was in furesomide and my vet mentioned to look out for it.

Not sure that can happen after one dose though, unless it was a massive dose for her weight perhaps?
 

daftcat75

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But it wasn't one dose. It was two doses on consecutive days. I know nothing about lasix and the correct dosing schedule. That just sounds like a likely possibility to consider given the chronology.
 

daftcat75

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They gave her another shot, her respitory rate went down to 40, no coughing after an hour after that, and they sent me home on an increased dose with the plan to see her cardiologist on Monday.
Missed that increased dose part. Does that mean Kaylee was given an increased dose on Friday before sent home with you? Or that what you give orally will be more than she was taking before?
 

SiameseMummy

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You're quite right @daftcat, as Kaylee is on prolonged use of lasix maybe it could be Hypokalaemia (potassium deficiency) - except I don't think it just goes away and actually needs potassium supplements or stopping of lasix to remedy

I don't know much about it (and clearly I'm not a vet!), it was just something my vet mentioned to watch out for when my girl was on this diuretic.

Maybe something to raise with the vet? They'll have more info at least.
 
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