Blackie (rescue) And Restrictive Cardiomyopathy

[paularenson]

Hi.

My name is Paul Arenson and am an American living in Fukuoka, Japan (I have been in Japan for 39 years). My wife and I have 10 rescues. 3 were acquired 8 years ago from Japan Cat Network (Aisa, Willy and Alice). The other 7 (Blackie, Mi-ke, Brownie, Black & White--all siblings--Noami and Mattie (brothers) and Puffy) were acquired almost 4 years ago from the public health center where my wife works (because people who know longer want to keep a cat or its kittens think that is where you dump it). On January 2, 2018 Blackie was having trouble breathing.

We took him to the vet and learned that he probably had Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. The treatments were frequent (daily injections) but not effective. Then our old veterinarian in Miyazaki wrote and suggested a heart specialist. We were grateful that one was nearby.

There diagnosis changed a week ago to Restrictive Cardiomyopathy, and the meds he provided have stabilized Blackie and brought him a better quality of life. Prognosis is current 6 to 12 months, and we aim to make his daily life as comfortable as possible.

He is eating heartily and even tries to jump now and then.

One problem is that in Japan very few people donate to anything, and if they do, it is via a special postal money envelope. For that reason most of the donors to our Go Fund Me site are based outside Japan or are non Japanese in Japan.

I know we are competing with many others and we do not ask for any special consideration. In the first month the costs were about 3000 US dollars (although we think they will go down as the new doctor suggested daily visits were too stressful and does not do injections. The meds are Plavix, Furosemide and Atenolol (vasodilator, diuretic and med to slow down the heart to get it pumping, respectively).

If you can contribute, or spread the word, the page is Click here to support Help Blackie live a normal life organized by Paul Arenson and any amount at all is greatly appreciated.

If you want to know the Dr's name and affiliation, it is all in Japanese, but I think this information is what is required. I doubt if they would accept donations (but you could try-this is Japan and they do things differently). But the info on the doctor may be important for you to verify who is helping Blackie.

Epidemiological and clinical features of the endomyocardial form of restrictive cardiomyopathy in cats: a review of 41 cases

• HIRAKAWA AtsushiHIRAKAWA Atsushi
• Pet Clinic Hallelujah, 2544–1 Nakabaru, Kasuya, Kasuya-gun, Fukuoka 811–2304, Japan

and

Open heart surgery with deep hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass and more than 90 minutes of aortic cross clamp time in 10 small dogs-authors include our doctor, Atsushi Hirakawa, Pet Clinic Hallelujah, Fukuoka, Japan
Open heart surgery with deep hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass and more than 90 minutes of aortic cross clamp time in 10 small dogs | Mihara | Veterinary Science Development

and
CiNii Articles 著者検索 - HIRAKAWA Atsushi (list of articles)

Thank you again,

Paul Arenson and Kyoko Kawano

BLACKIE"S CAMPAIGN
Click here to support Help Blackie live a normal life organized by Paul Arenson

 

[mani]

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[mrsgreenjeens]

What a handsome young man Blackie is. And it's easy to see how very loved he is. It's wondering that your GoFundMe is doing so well. Best wishes to you all, especially to young Blackie!

 

[paularenson]

Thank you Mrs Green Jeans. Much appreciated. He us photogenic, I agree.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

What a lovely cat! I have shared on FB, and donated a small amount. Wish it could be more!

 

[paularenson]

Thank you very much. I sent you a note from GoFundMe. It was our first contribution from someone we have not met personally. Appreciate it!!!!!!!

paul@kyoko

 

[Mamanyt1953]

You are more than welcome. Some months I have a few spare dollars, some months I don't. This month I did.

 

[paularenson]

Blackie continues to do well 2 weeks after changing doctors and treatment protocol based on a new diagnosis: restrictive cardiomyopathy.

The first doctor mis-diagnosed Blackie's heart condition as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. We owe our veterinarian in our previous town, Dr. Kozue Fujii, much gratitude for recommending we see a cardiologist. As well, we appreciate our friend, veterinarian and cat specialist Sharon Ellman Murray, for pressing us to get an ultrasound, which would confirm what was ailing Blackie. The first doctor never did one. The second doctor's diagnosis was largely based on an ultrasound.

So much has changed, including stopping a cardiotonic drug and starting one which slows down the heart to the normal range in order to get more blood pumping. The new doctor is also engaged in a careful balancing act regarding the use of a diuretic to counteract edema: too much diuretic results in a miner imbalance, loss of appetite and dehydration. Soon it will be time for Blackie to be switched to a combination of diuretics which are potassium sparing. And he has stopped an antibiotic prescribed by the first for a bronchial infection because he found no such infection. He has also switched Blackie from the first doctor's daily visits for a diuretic injection to 1 visit every two weeks (with no injections) and--now that Blackie is stable--1 visit a month. He says the stress from the daily visits itself was killing Blackie

As well, while the first doctor was ready to stop prescribing a blood thinner, the new doctor not only decided it was essential, but switched to a more efficient one.

Blackie's life expectancy has not changed, It still hovers somewhere between 6 months to a year. But the quality of life has taken a huge upturn. Blackie is now more playful, has a great appetite and once again is licking my head as he first did a year ago in the picture here.

Thank all of you for donating and sharing. Blackie sends you all his love.

You can see his latest videos eating and sleeping with his friends (plus an older video of him giving me a shampoo) in update 6.


to Donate: Click here to support Help Blackie live a normal life organized by Paul Arenson

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Thank goodness for that quality of life! Sometimes, that is all that matters. You are in my heart.

 

[paularenson]

Thank you. Here is a video of Blackie shampooing me (before he got sick), but he is now doing this again.


Here he is the other day with a couple of his sisters. And here he is eating, a good appetite again.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

This just warms my heart!

 

[paularenson]

Thank you Mamanyt1953.

Blackie has been stable after changing hospitals. His new doctor is a cardiologist. The old hospital incorrectly diagnosed and treated him inappropriately. It was also extremely expensive. (About 320,000 yen or 3000 dollars). They diagnosed his ailments as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy when the correct diagnosis is restrictive cardiomyopathy. He still has a one year prognosis. There is no cure, but treatment is effective at relieving the symptoms.

At first we thought that medical expenses would continue to be high, but at the new hospital he is getting excellent treatment at a reasonable cost.

We have now decided not to seek donations for the care he is receiving at the new hospital. Anything to help defray the costs of the first hospital is appreciated. (We have received donations amounting to 1000 dollars or a bit less than a third, for which we are very grateful).


Thank you all very much for your cooperation and understanding.

Paul and Kyoko
Fukuoka, Japan

Click here to support Help Blackie live a normal life organized by Paul Arenson

 

[paularenson]

Oops. Blackie and Brownie.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I did get your update from the site, and left a message there for you. The right vet and clinic makes all of the difference in the world, and I'm relieved to know that Blackie will have a significantly better quality of life, if not longer. I'll add a bit to things as I am able. Give both Blackie and Brownie an ear rub from their "Aunty Bek."

 

[paularenson]

Thank you very much. I just wanted to correct an impression I inadvertently gave that the first doctor was irresponsible. In fact, it was simply a matter of them not being experts in cardiology as well as this being a rare and difficult disease to diagnose. The message is that, when in doubt, get a second opinion with a specialist if at all possible.

The old hospital diagnosed and treated him for a somewhat different form of cardiomyopathy called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, but the treatment was not effective. The decision to go to a specialist was a good one as their treatment, a different set of medicines and less frequent, and therefore less stressful, visits, helped to keep his disease in check. But someone asked me if we were going to take legal action against the first vet, and the answer is no. they just did not have enough expertise. Specialists are recommended when in doubt.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I did get that, but others may not have. And my comment stands...the right vet makes all the difference. Not every vet can be knowledgeable about every aspect of care. Second opinions just make sense to me for anything not totally ordinary. But I am so happy that you located the right people for his condition.

 

[surya]

One of my cat's likes to wash my hair too. I can't donate, but I'm sending my best wishes for Blackie.

 

[paularenson]

Blackie has gone. Here is a little site I made for him. There are 4 pages covering the time when he came into our lives until he left this earth.
Thank you all for your support.

http://paularenson.org/blackie/

 

[surya]

I'm so sorry. ((HUGS))

 

[paularenson]

Thank you surya!.