5 Month Old With Hcm

[PuffsMommy]

Hello, my 5 month old British Shorthair, Puff, was just diagnosed with HCM this week, and I'm still in shock. The doctor said that in 7 months (when he turns 1 year old) we can get another echo and see how the HCM has or hasn't progressed. He said if at that next echo the HCM hasn't progressed too much further he might have a decent lifespan. However there is also the chance that we could see that it has gotten worse and he could be very lucky to reach 5 years old. Anyone else have a cat with HCM (or any other similar issue) that can give me advice on how to handle this? I feel better for a little while and then start to breakdown again. He's just a baby and an incredibly sweet one at that. I could really use some sort of support. Thanks.

 

[abyeb]

I'm sorry that you and your kitty are going through this.

Did your vet prescribe any meds?

 

[babiesmom5]

I am so sorry to hear that your sweet little boy Puff was diagnosed with HCM. I am sure you are devastated . I have never heard of one being diagnosed so young. Unfortunately genetics plays a part in many cat illnesses and HCM is more prone in certain breeds like Maine Coon, Ragdoll, Persian, Sphynix, British Shorthair, and Chartreaux, although not exclusively. I had a cat who was mainly American Domestic Shorthair, with a bit of Burmese and she developed HCM in her senior years.

With my cat, although her left ventricle (the primary heart pumping muscle) was thickened and 75% closed, her right ventricle compensated for it. Following a complete workup by an excellent Vet Cardiologist, she was put on medication and closely monitored over the years. She lived a good quality of life until the ripe old age of 20!

If you have not already done so, I would advise that Puff be seen as soon as possible by a good Vet Cardiologist. This Vet can put Puff on the best medications which can enable his heart to function as best as possible with HCM. The earlier you begin treatment, the better chance Puff has to live a long good quality of life. Take each day as it comes, give Puff a lot of love, keep his stress down, and work closely with your Vet Cardiologist.

I wish you and Puff all the best!

 

[Geoffrey]

I am a human doctor, a specialist in internal medicine, not a vet. However I have seen many cases of human hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy which has much in common with feline hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Both are genetic and the managements are similar. I do not practice feline medicine but I understand that feline HCM is the commonest heart disease to affect cats.

The condition is due to a thickening of the cardiac muscle and the thickened muscle may eventually become weaker. A time may occur when the weakened muscle cannot pump the blood around the body adequately and the muscle mass can increase in size, causing an obstruction to the smooth flow of blood. If this happens, and it may not, then the obstruction can cause eddies in the blood flow and can be picked up by listening to the heart with a stethoscope. The sound of the eddy is called a 'murmur'; a murmur is not a disease, it is a sign and a patient can have a loud murmur with minimal disease.

The damaged, thickened heart muscle may eventually fail to adequately pump the blood around the body and the blood then accumulates as fluid in the lungs and tissues - a condition called heart failure.

There is treatment available and this is usually effective, prolonging the time period between diagnosis (usually by hearing a murmur) and the development of heart failure. It consists of tablets called Beta-blockers or Calcium antagonists, the decision which to use depends on the veterinarian.

Heart failure may never happen, or it may be mild when it does happen, responding to specific treatment with diuretic tablets that increase the flow of urine. At this early stage it is usually impossible to give a prognosis, this will depend on the progression of the disease - and I stress that the illness can be consistent with a long life. I have seen many cases diagnosed, for the first time, in octogenarian human patients.

At this stage, therefore, there is room for considerable hope. Your little cat may live comfortably for a number of years or can live for a normal life span. Your vet is the only one who can tell you what the prognosis is - and this will be based on disease progression that may never happen. And of course the illness can respond to medical treatment.

With all best wishes to you both,
Geoffrey

 

[Boris Diamond]

I have had two kitties with HCM. One was four years old when he had to be taken to the emergency clinic. He was euthanized ten hours later. The other one has been on three medicines twice a day since I found out about his condition fifteen months ago. It is difficult getting him to take six pills a day and I have had to learn a few tricks! The doctor says that he is doing very well and he might be one of the ones who lives a long time.

It is good your kitty was diagnosed at an early age. If the HCM does not advance too quickly, he may have a long life. Be glad that you know about it now and can give him proper care. The one I lost was my best friend. Perhaps if I had known earlier that he had HCM, and could have given him treatment, he would still be with me.

You have my hopes and prayers for Puff.

 

[PuffsMommy]

I'm sorry that you and your kitty are going through this.

Did your vet prescribe any meds?

Not yet

I'm sorry that you and your kitty are going through this.

Did your vet prescribe any meds?

Currently the doctor seemed to not want to put him on medicine until we see how the condition progresses.

 

[PuffsMommy]

I have had two kitties with HCM. One was four years old when he had to be taken to the emergency clinic. He was euthanized ten hours later. The other one has been on three medicines twice a day since I found out about his condition fifteen months ago. It is difficult getting him to take six pills a day and I have had to learn a few tricks! The doctor says that he is doing very well and he might be one of the ones who lives a long time.

It is good your kitty was diagnosed at an early age. If the HCM does not advance too quickly, he may have a long life. Be glad that you know about it now and can give him proper care. The one I lost was my best friend. Perhaps if I had known earlier that he had HCM, and could have given him treatment, he would still be with me.

You have my hopes and prayers for Puff.

Thank you and I'm sorry for your loss. I've lost cats before, although never from something like this, so I know it hurts. Although it seems so much more devastating to think of it happening at so young an age.

 

[PuffsMommy]

I am so sorry to hear that your sweet little boy Puff was diagnosed with HCM. I am sure you are devastated . I have never heard of one being diagnosed so young. Unfortunately genetics plays a part in many cat illnesses and HCM is more prone in certain breeds like Maine Coon, Ragdoll, Persian, Sphynix, British Shorthair, and Chartreaux, although not exclusively. I had a cat who was mainly American Domestic Shorthair, with a bit of Burmese and she developed HCM in her senior years.

With my cat, although her left ventricle (the primary heart pumping muscle) was thickened and 75% closed, her right ventricle compensated for it. Following a complete workup by an excellent Vet Cardiologist, she was put on medication and closely monitored over the years. She lived a good quality of life until the ripe old age of 20!

If you have not already done so, I would advise that Puff be seen as soon as possible by a good Vet Cardiologist. This Vet can put Puff on the best medications which can enable his heart to function as best as possible with HCM. The earlier you begin treatment, the better chance Puff has to live a long good quality of life. Take each day as it comes, give Puff a lot of love, keep his stress down, and work closely with your Vet Cardiologist.

I wish you and Puff all the best!

Thank you. We did take him, which is where we was diagnosed with the HCM. Unfortunately the doctor doesn't really want to do anything until his next check up at 1 year old, meaning now we wait for 7 months.

 

[MarthaP]

Hi PuffsMommy, my Siamese kitty Juno is in a similar position. She was diagnosed with HCM at 7 mos old and it was a complete shock. She was otherwise developing as a happy and healthy little kitten. She's 14 1/2 mos old now and just had a recheck echocardiogram and the disease is unfortunately progressing, so now she is on 3 medications a day. The good news is that she hasn't shown any outward symptoms and is not in CHF. She responds well to the medicine and loves taking her pills in Greenies salmon pill pockets. She's still living an awesome cat life and I'm just taking it one day at a time. But like you, my heart hurts and I worry for her constantly. She and her brother are super close and really wonderful cats. Sending you much support as you navigate this disease with your sweet kitty!