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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / April 2007Question for someone who knows vet jargon
I've gotten copies of Meep's records to give to the new vet. Can someone please translate this to layman's terms (any actual vets in here)? All I was told at the time is that she had some small amount of cardiomyopathy (or I may misremember). "Echo shows mild Mitral regurg and aortic insufficiency. LV wall on brink of hypertrophy (5.9mm, normal 6mm). Otherwise all chambers look normal. Fractional shortening WNL." She's a spayed dsh, at the time she was just shy of 10 years. This was a year ago, nearly exactly. I'm trying to figure out if she should get another echo to trach the status of whatever they found. She's always been a quiet kitty, so it's possible I think that any heart issues she's had from the beginning. Can that be told from this tho? Thanks for any translation. jmc > I've gotten copies of Meep's records to give to the new vet. Can > someone please translate this to layman's terms (any actual vets in [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > jmc I'm a vet. What you need... let's see... The answer to your question is.. certainly! Looks like she's got air IN the heart. It can be fatal.. and it can be no big deal. It CAN work it's way out... a vet could have put the air there through any iv's or shots etc. Suddenly, without warning, body sweat exclaimed (17-Apr-07 7:28 PM): >> I've gotten copies of Meep's records to give to the new vet. Can >> someone please translate this to layman's terms (any actual vets in [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > ::sigh:: I knew this was going to happen. Fortunately I do know enough to recognize hot air. :) jmc Suddenly, without warning, jmc exclaimed (17-Apr-07 7:50 PM): > Suddenly, without warning, body sweat exclaimed (17-Apr-07 7:28 PM): >>> I've gotten copies of Meep's records to give to the new vet. Can [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > > jmc On second thought, I take that back - I think - I'm off to google some stuff to see if I can substantiate this "air in the heart" statement, never heard of such a thing. jmc > On second thought, I take that back - I think - I'm off to google some > stuff to see if I can substantiate this "air in the heart" statement, > never heard of such a thing. > > jmc Back up and punt jmc, why are you posting this? what are the current symptoms that would make you even think about the echo? Is it the infection? I don't see how the pump (which is working fine.. it is) has anything to do with a bladder infection. what am I missing? Suddenly, without warning, body sweat exclaimed (17-Apr-07 8:13 PM): >> On second thought, I take that back - I think - I'm off to google some >> stuff to see if I can substantiate this "air in the heart" statement, [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > what am I missing? Why am I posting? Because Meep's been off color, she had a cystitis attack but was more lethargic and "hidey" than normal. When I took her to the vet, I mentioned that I'd been told she had mild cardiomyopathy (but didn't have this yet). The vet had a listen and heard something 'not normal' but couldn't really make out what. I don't know this vet yet, and wanted to go in educated, as I dont' know if she's one that'll always say X tests are needed; I don't want to put Meep through any unnecessary procedures, but I don't want to endanger her health by *not* getting the proper tests done, either. At the moment, Meep needs to get through the cystitis first (she's feeling much better today (not lethargic in the least), but still standing when she pees, poor thing. Once she's over that, we'll look at her hips and hinds (I posted about her deserting her "loved for 10 years" furniture earlier), and her heart issues. jmc on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:23:22 GMT, jmc <NOnewsgroupsSPAM@NOjodiBODY.HOMEus> wrote: > Why am I posting? Because Meep's been off color, she had a cystitis > attack but was more lethargic and "hidey" than normal. When I took [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > her deserting her "loved for 10 years" furniture earlier), and her > heart issues. If she has a fever related to the cystitis, that could explain any heart murmurs that the vet heard. The cystitis could also explain her other symptoms, but if she is not back to normal after that is cleared up, an echo sounds prudent. One thing you can you every day to make sure she is not experiencing any congestive heart failure (CHF) is to weigh her every day. Sudden weight gain could indicate CHF because it causes fluid retention.  SignatureLynne "We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly We are brave enough to bend to cry And sad enough to know We must laugh again" ~ Nikki Giovanni, 4/17/2007, Virginia Tech > Suddenly, without warning, body sweat exclaimed (17-Apr-07 7:28 PM): >>> I've gotten copies of Meep's records to give to the new vet. Can [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > ::sigh:: I knew this was going to happen. Fortunately I do know enough > to recognize hot air. :) It took me a lot longer than it took you, unfortunately. I know that hypertrophy is enlargment and LV is left ventricle. Mitral regurgitation is a heart murmer in the mitral valve. (It is called that because the valve looks like a bishop's miter/hat.) Aortic insufficiency is something wrong with the aorta, the big blood vessel that feeds the heart--is it like "hardening of the arteries?" It sounds like Meep has mild heart disease, or just the beginning of it. When this happens at my vet I stop him and ask. Or call after I get home to get an explanation. > I've gotten copies of Meep's records to give to the new vet. Can someone > please translate this to layman's terms (any actual vets in here)? All I [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > jmc First, I think you need to call your vet and ask for this information. (especially your question about whether another echo is needed). Second, you might want to post your questions to alt.med.veterinary since you were specifically asking for information from veterinarians. MaryL Suddenly, without warning, MaryL exclaimed (17-Apr-07 8:39 PM): >> I've gotten copies of Meep's records to give to the new vet. Can someone >> please translate this to layman's terms (any actual vets in here)? All I [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > MaryL I will, but I like to go armed. New vet, haven't determined if she (like my current doctor) is of the "lets do all possible tests just to make sure" class, and I don't want to put Meep through any unnecessary procedures. I prefer to go to the vet with at least a modicum of clue, so I can make educated decisions about her care. jmc -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- From: jmc <NOnewsgroupsSPAM@NOjodiBODY.HOMEus> >I will, but I like to go armed. New vet, haven't determined if she >(like my current doctor) is of the "lets do all possible tests just to [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >jmc I think the first thing you should do is get a copy of the FULL report on the ultrasound. It sounds like you just got the synopsis. The full report will have 20, or so, dimensions. It should also list normal ranges for those numbers. I've been dealing with TK's HCM for a couple of years and have, at least, learned enough to have a good feel for the situation. Phil P,. it seems, has been somewhat absent from this group, lately, (probably had enough of the "in your face" wacko's that have taken over the group) but he is quite knowledgable about feline HCM and even took the time to review TK's echocardiogram results and educate me as to the significance of some of the numbers (Thank's again, Phil). I'm no expert, but I can offer some help in decyphering the report from a layman's perspective. TK, BTW, is on medication for HCM.......and at the last ultrasound, the condition looks to have regressed to the point where one can almost say that he does not have HCM, anymore. Best of luck with Meep. > TK, BTW, is on medication for HCM.......and at the last ultrasound, the > condition looks to have regressed to the point where one can almost > say that he does not have HCM, anymore. What does he take for it? SignatureLynne "We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly We are brave enough to bend to cry And sad enough to know We must laugh again" ~ Nikki Giovanni, 4/17/2007, Virginia Tech -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- From: Lynne <unmonitored.email@gmail.com> >> TK, BTW, is on medication for HCM.......and at the last ultrasound, the >> condition looks to have regressed to the point where one can almost >> say that he does not have HCM, anymore. > >What does he take for it? He's getting 30mg (1/2 pill) of Diltiazen ER (extended release) once a day. He also gets a small dose of aspirin (80mg) twice a week. At the last ultrasound, the cardiologist said that the HCM had diminished to the point where the aspirin was not absolutly required, but he suggested we continue with it since the whole treatment was working so well. It's been almost two years and he still seems like a healthy wildcat. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- >He's getting 30mg (1/2 pill) of Diltiazen ER Oops, That should have been Diltiazem (with an M) > Suddenly, without warning, MaryL exclaimed (17-Apr-07 8:39 PM): snip >> First, I think you need to call your vet and ask for this information. >> (especially your question about whether another echo is needed). Second, [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > procedures. I prefer to go to the vet with at least a modicum of clue, so > I can make educated decisions about her care. -------- Alex has a heart murmur (amongst other things). It was discovered when he was 2 years old. He is currently 16 years old. He had one echocardiogram a couple of years after the problem was discovered (although it probably should have been done right away - I thought the condition was totally benign, so I said "no" to the echocardiogram, until a few years later when the vet explained that we really should have one for a baseline and to determine if he had cardiac hypertrophy). He has only had one additional echocardiogram since then, which was a few years ago. So, if your cat had an echocardiogram last year, and it was benign, I wouldn't have another one repeated only a year later unless you had reason to think the heart disease had progressed. That's my opinion, but I am not a veterinarian Best regards, ---Cindy S. On 17 Apr, 12:09, "MaryL" <stanco...@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote: > > I've gotten copies of Meep's records to give to the new vet. Can someone > > please translate this to layman's terms (any actual vets in here)? All I [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > - Show quoted text - Thank you for this Information Mary. I had no idea that there was a veterinary group on here, & I am certain that I will find some need to go there occasionally. We take in rescued cats when we can & to be perfectly honest, sometimes I find it hard work keeping up with their jargon. I noticed that an earlier poster pointed out that you can simply ask him to put it in layman's terms, but the place that we have just signed up with, never seems to have the time to sit & chat like our old one did. A sign of the times & a need to tell my vet this I think. To know ones cats, one has to understand their vet first. K. > > > I've gotten copies of Meep's records to give to the new vet. Can someone > > > please translate this to layman's terms (any actual vets in here)? All I [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > > of hypertrophy (5.9mm, normal 6mm). Otherwise all chambers look normal. > > > Fractional shortening WNL." ........can't really translate - regurgitation mitral valve - must be damaged as it means it doesn't close properly and some blood is going the wrong way; LV is left ventricular; don't know what WNL is. .....there aren't always vets on alt.med.veterinary. I'd Google veterinary cardiologist. Don't have the link any more but there is one site that has pretty good descritions of heart troubles. Also I'd give extra taurine and Coenzme Q10 buglady take out the dog before replying on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:59:52 GMT, "buglady" <buglady99@bigfootdog.com> wrote: > ........can't really translate - regurgitation mitral valve - must be > damaged as it means it doesn't close properly and some blood is going the > wrong way; LV is left ventricular; don't know what WNL is. Regurgitation of any valve is really not that uncommon. It's the degree of regurgitation (aka leak) that is important, and whether or not it is getting progressively worse. If a second echo shows no change and the cat is not exhibiting any cardiac related symptoms, there is no cause for concern. SignatureLynne "We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly We are brave enough to bend to cry And sad enough to know We must laugh again" ~ Nikki Giovanni, 4/17/2007, Virginia Tech > <kittyca...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > buglady > take out the dog before replying Thank you for that one. We have decided that we are going back to our old vet. It is a round trip of 40 miles, but well worth the trouble because we know him well, trust his advice & he knows our cats well too. He makes the time to explain things & nothing is ever too much trouble. That counts for a hell of a lot in my book. If you have a good vet, you have a happy and healthy pet. I notice above that I must have posted with a slip of the old hand there, because it says she.. In fact it is a "he"..his name is Binky. I am already giving him supplements of taurine to him & the rest of the cats. I intend to ring him later this morning, so I will ask him about this Coenzme Q10 whilst on the phone. K. > On 17 Apr, 12:09, "MaryL" <stanco...@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> > wrote: [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] > To know ones cats, one has to understand their vet first. > K. Fortunately, Cindy S. provided an *excellent* explanation. Her description was extremely helpful, IMO. MaryL On 18 Apr, 22:31, "MaryL" <stanco...@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote: > <kittyca...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 62 lines] > > - Show quoted text - You are right of course. I would also like to thank you too Cindy. Some of the information that you have given us here is invaluable & I appreciate that very much. In time I hope to get to know who is who & the way that you post too. I am still learning how this all works, but once I have that under control, I will be able to spend more time paying attention to who says what & how to respond accordingly. I look forward to getting to know who is who on here too, & I worry that I might be answering to the wrong person & I don't mean or intend to cause insult. If I have, you have my sincere apology K. > I've gotten copies of Meep's records to give to the new vet. Can someone > please translate this to layman's terms (any actual vets in here)? All I [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Thanks for any translation. ---------------- I'm not a vet, but I am a doctor. (I'm also not a cardiologist), but here's your translation: "Echocardiogram shows mild mitral regurgitation and aortic insufficiency. Left ventrical wall on brink of hypertrophy (5.9mm, normal 6mm). Otherwise all chambers look normal. Fractional shortening within normal limits." The heart is composed of four chambers, a left atrium, left ventricle, right atrium, and right ventricle. The aorta is the major artery (has thick muscle walls) of the body through which blood flows from the left ventricle to other organs in the body. On each side of the heart, the atrium is on top and the ventricle is on the bottom and blood is pumped from the atrium through the ventricle. Between each atrium and ventricle is a valve, which is supposed to close everytime the heart contracts to prevent the blood from backflowing ("regurgitating") from the ventricle back into the atrium. The aorta also has a valve to prevent backflow of blood from the aorta back into the left ventricle. Sometimes, these valves develop a little problem in that they don't close completely (i.e. become "insufficient"), and there is a small amount of backflow of blood. The result is that the heart has to work harder to pump the same amount of blood. Any time the heart has to work harder, the heart itself (which is a giant muscle) responds by increasing in size (hypertrophy). Cardiomyopathy is a generic medical word meaning disease of heart muscle. "Fractional shortening" is the difference in size of the heart between when it's full of blood and when it's squeezed. In a human, the condition you describe above can be mild or severe. If mild, the doctor will generally tell the patient not to worry and go on with his life. The patient may notice that he tires more easily. When it's severe, a cardiologist would probably want to do open-heart surgery and replace the leaky valve. I've never heard of this type of procedure being done on a cat, but at any rate, it sounds like your kitty's situation is mild and not severe. My thought is that you should keep an eye on the situation, maybe have the echocardiogram repeated in a couple of years, but that you probably don't have any reason to worry at this time. But, please consult a veterinian. I am not a veterinarian nor am I a cardiologist. What I have stated above is only my own understanding and opinion. Good luck. Best regards, ---Cindy S. > I'm not a vet, but I am a doctor. cool deal. Can I ask what is your field of practice? I'm just curios. That was nice of you to translate for jmc. > ---------------- > I'm not a vet, but I am a doctor. (I'm also not a cardiologist), but [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > Best regards, > ---Cindy S. You rock, Cindy. That was fabulous. When my doctor thought I had mitral valve regurgitation, he said, over time your heart might enlarge, but otherwise you will probably be fine. (This is a very common condition, one in three people have it I think he said? I was trying to get out of PE 100, because in order to graduate college they were going to make me run three miles in 30 minutes! He would not let me out of it, and I completed the course successfully --at age 32--and found I really like running and weight training.) The really interesting thing to me, is that nobody has ever heard that "murmur" again. One doctor said, "maybe his instrument was just really sensitive. ?? >> I've gotten copies of Meep's records to give to the new vet. Can someone >> please translate this to layman's terms (any actual vets in here)? All I [quoted text clipped - 60 lines] > Best regards, > ---Cindy S. Excellent, Cindy! Thanks very much for posting this information -- much too good to be "snipped," as I often do to condense information. Many people will benefit from your input. MaryL Suddenly, without warning, cindys exclaimed (18-Apr-07 12:54 AM): >> I've gotten copies of Meep's records to give to the new vet. Can someone >> please translate this to layman's terms (any actual vets in here)? All I [quoted text clipped - 60 lines] > Best regards, > ---Cindy S. Cindy, Thanks a lot for that, very helpful. Yea, it's mild, no treatment as of yet. She does tire easily though - and always has. I just can't remember if the vet recommended a followup. Unfortunately that vet's in another country and that echo was a year ago. They suggested one after finding a "grade 2/6" murmur. Didn't find one on the next visit, and the visit I just had she could here that the rhythm "wasn't quite normal" but not exactly what... I am consulting a vet. Sometimes I like to just get a feel for what's going on though (It's not a second opinion when you're asking a bunch of strangers on the 'net), because with a new vet you never quite know if they're going to suggest the procedure because it's *really* necessary, or just to fill the coffers; I may be a slave to my cat, but at least I try to be an educated one :) jmc > They suggested one after finding a "grade 2/6" murmur. So there was air in the heart after all. I suspected as much. nooo, I don't know fritz about it, other than my own murmer. My vet told me mine would eventually work it's way out. (possibly)... but not to be alarmed. They can hear the murmer, it sounds like sloshing. |
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