Hello, I just got back from the vet...and it was my first time with a new vet. I'm not sure what the diagnosis was... I'm a lil confused and was wondering if anyone read through it and let me know if it makes sense?
My cat that I adopted in Jan (he's 6 years old and a rescue) started wheezing last week. It sounds like he can't catch his breath - like he is inhaling repeatedly and rapidly. But it's not constant. Just a few times a day. Not an emergency, but it was worrying me. I have two long haired cats (this one included), so I am very familiar with the sound of a hairball or a nagging potential hairball. This doesn't sound like it. So, I made an appt to see my vet, but had to see another one, since she is out of the office.
When I went home to get him he didn't run to the door, but was lying in his comfy spot and was wheezing - so, he seemed much worse.
Once there, he didn't wheeze at all (which meant, I got to try to imitate him and of course failed miserably).
hehe... go fig.
She said that it might be a massive hairball. Or a respiratory infection. Or asthma. Or allergies. Or a heartworm. Or heart disease.
So then she asked if she could do xrays and I said - go for it! (anything to narrow it down! - especially away from those scary things!).
The xrays showed that his lungs were healthy and clear - with just a few spots that could indicate low levels of infection. She said that this made asthma less likely. but it still could be allergies or a respiratory infection (ahem, that's a cold, right?)
According to the xray, his heart is literally "fat". She said that it could be enlarged from heart disease or a worm, but that she can't tell that from the xray and it could just be that he has a lot of fat right around his heart - a fat heart.
He didn't have a heart murmur.
So, she told me to take him home and give him laxatone for the potential massive hairball everyday... and an antihistamine in case it's a respiratory thing. I should not use air freshner in the house and use a dust-less litter (like crystals or a mix with crystals) if I can.
If it's not better in a week, he needs an ultrasound and hearworm testing.
But my question is - what causes a fat heart? Is it ok to let it go for the time being? What do they do to treat something like that?
Has anyone else ever had any problems like this?
I know, I know... there probably isn't much anyone can tell me. I just was wondering if anyone had heard of this before and if there is anything I can do.
Thanks!
My cat that I adopted in Jan (he's 6 years old and a rescue) started wheezing last week. It sounds like he can't catch his breath - like he is inhaling repeatedly and rapidly. But it's not constant. Just a few times a day. Not an emergency, but it was worrying me. I have two long haired cats (this one included), so I am very familiar with the sound of a hairball or a nagging potential hairball. This doesn't sound like it. So, I made an appt to see my vet, but had to see another one, since she is out of the office.
When I went home to get him he didn't run to the door, but was lying in his comfy spot and was wheezing - so, he seemed much worse.
Once there, he didn't wheeze at all (which meant, I got to try to imitate him and of course failed miserably).
hehe... go fig.
She said that it might be a massive hairball. Or a respiratory infection. Or asthma. Or allergies. Or a heartworm. Or heart disease.
So then she asked if she could do xrays and I said - go for it! (anything to narrow it down! - especially away from those scary things!).
The xrays showed that his lungs were healthy and clear - with just a few spots that could indicate low levels of infection. She said that this made asthma less likely. but it still could be allergies or a respiratory infection (ahem, that's a cold, right?)
According to the xray, his heart is literally "fat". She said that it could be enlarged from heart disease or a worm, but that she can't tell that from the xray and it could just be that he has a lot of fat right around his heart - a fat heart.
He didn't have a heart murmur.
So, she told me to take him home and give him laxatone for the potential massive hairball everyday... and an antihistamine in case it's a respiratory thing. I should not use air freshner in the house and use a dust-less litter (like crystals or a mix with crystals) if I can.
If it's not better in a week, he needs an ultrasound and hearworm testing.
But my question is - what causes a fat heart? Is it ok to let it go for the time being? What do they do to treat something like that?
Has anyone else ever had any problems like this?
I know, I know... there probably isn't much anyone can tell me. I just was wondering if anyone had heard of this before and if there is anything I can do.
Thanks!