Heart Murmur

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Chris B - 29 Sep 2004 23:11 GMT

I took my cat along for vaccinations this week (she's one year old). My
usual vet was on holiday but I was shocked to find out my cat has a heart
murmur. The vet seems to think it might have been caused by the continual
infections she had when she was younger (she had stomach problems for about
6 months which have now completely cleared up), I have an appointment with
the usual vet in a month but I'm concerned. Is this common? I have a
Ragdoll.

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MarAzul - 30 Sep 2004 06:29 GMT

Did the vet tell you the intensity of the murmer? One of my cats has/had a
very faint murmur.. The next year she went in for shots the doc couldn't
hear it.. In general though, a heart murmur isn't too serious.

I also did a search of alt.med.veterinary for heart murmurs. Here are 2
different links to the same thing..

http://tinyurl.com/5zrmk
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&frame=right&th=abffa94cce1d69
2&seekm=4r44u9%248pv%40newstand.syr.edu#link1

Mar
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>I took my cat along for vaccinations this week (she's one year old). My
>usual vet was on holiday but I was shocked to find out my cat has a heart
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>the usual vet in a month but I'm concerned. Is this common? I have a
>Ragdoll.

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Chris B - 30 Sep 2004 19:03 GMT

No - I didn't know to ask until I looked it up on the net after. I will
find out when I go back I guess. I was just wondering if anyone else had
experienced this - and how common it was. Guess I'm looking for a bit of
reassurance!

Thanks for the links - I will take a look

> Did the vet tell you the intensity of the murmer? One of my cats has/had a
> very faint murmur.. The next year she went in for shots the doc couldn't
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>>appointment with the usual vet in a month but I'm concerned. Is this
>>common? I have a Ragdoll.

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MarAzul - 30 Sep 2004 21:22 GMT

> No - I didn't know to ask until I looked it up on the net after. I will
> find out when I go back I guess. I was just wondering if anyone else had
> experienced this - and how common it was. Guess I'm looking for a bit of
> reassurance!

I can understand that.. After I found out Zara had a murmur I was upset and
I did all the research I could.

Definatly let us know how it goes at the vet!

Mar
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Aquarijen - 30 Sep 2004 19:22 GMT

Be cautiously concerned. My cat has had a heart murmur since I have had
him. The last 8 years, it has bee intensity 5 and bilateral - witch is
pretty bad--- I can hear it outside the cat without using a stethascope.
For the past 8 years the vet has said he could go at any time. He's 17 now
and has a good activity level and is still going strong. Sooo, even if you
do find out that it is serious, some cats compensate very well. Alex stays
indoors and I provide a secure and not-too-loud home for him. He is a
Himalayan mix.
Take Care,
Jen

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Phil P. - 04 Oct 2004 10:46 GMT

> I took my cat along for vaccinations this week (she's one year old). My
> usual vet was on holiday but I was shocked to find out my cat has a heart
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> the usual vet in a month but I'm concerned. Is this common? I have a
> Ragdoll.

A heart murmur can be a symptom of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
Ragdolls are at increased risk of HCM - a genetic cause is suspected.

You might want to contact the breeder and ask if there is a history of HCM
in either parental line (not that I expect a breeder to actually admit such
a history - its bad for business). Cats from lines with a history of HCM
should not be bred because breeding will increase the trait within the
breed.

I suggest you speak to your vet about scheduling an echocardiogram as soon
as possible. If negative, retest yearly (remember, one human year is
physiologically equivalent to four years for a cat after the first year).

http://www.ragdoll-cats.com/Cardio.htm

http://maxshouse.com/hypertrophic_cardiomyopathy.htm

Best of luck,

Phil

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Chris B - 04 Oct 2004 21:23 GMT

Phil

Thanks for this. It's interesting that you sent me the link to the Ragdoll
site because my cat is a Ragdoll. The breeder is very reputable so I won't
worry her until I find out for sure what's going on. Tosca had continual
stomach infections for the first 6 months of her life - it was a nightmare -
in the vet every week for treatment.

Eventually, I got her spayed and, coincidentally or not, it cleared up. The
vet (who was temporarily standing in for my usual vet who was on holiday)
seemed to think there could be a connection as I don't believe she had this
problem earlier in her life as she had so many check-ups he would have
noticed something. She thinks there's a chance that the infections might
have attacked her heart. Apart from that, she said very little, apart from
saying I should come back to see my own vet.

My vet is a heart specialist so I am obviously keen to see him as soon as
possible. However, I was told to wait a month - no idea why?

As soon as I have the results, I will take it from there.

I'm really concerned now - and can barely wait another 3 weeks - due to take
her in on 28th October.

Thanks again.

>> I took my cat along for vaccinations this week (she's one year old). My
>> usual vet was on holiday but I was shocked to find out my cat has a heart
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
>
> Phil

Reply to this Message

Phil P. - 04 Oct 2004 22:07 GMT

> Phil
>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> Thanks again.

Chris,

Actually, there is a form of heart disease that's caused by infections in
other parts of the body - bacterial ednocarditis. Bacteria from infections
can enter the bloodstream - and since all blood eventually passes through
the heart, bacteria can be deposited on the valves and lining tissues of the
heart and begin an infection. If the valves become damaged they could begin
to leak blood. Fortunately, this form of heart disease is uncommon in the
cat.

Just a point of fact: Not all heart murmurs indicate heart disease - some
murmurs are innocent. Lets hope this is the case with your cat.

Please keep me posted.

Best of luck,

Phil

> >> I took my cat along for vaccinations this week (she's one year old). My
> >> usual vet was on holiday but I was shocked to find out my cat has a heart
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
> >
> > Phil

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Chris B - 04 Oct 2004 22:16 GMT

Thanks Phil

I'll certainly keep you posted. Appreciate your follow-up. Sometimes it's
even more worrying when you start researching something - because you start
to imagine it's the worse case scenario.... let's hope that's not the case
with T.

Having looked up this particular disease on the web(!), she doesn't appear
to have any of the clinical signs for this - on the contrary, she's
incredibly healthy (visibly) apart from throwing up about once every 2-3
weeks - but I think that's more to do with bolting her food!

Mind you, even when she was really sick with the stomach problems and had a
very low white cell count, visibly she appeared OK - the vet was most
surprised to find out how sick she really was. She drinks tons of water and
now has a very good appetite.

Hopefully, it won't be anything serious.

I'll keep you posted anyway.

Chris

>> Phil
>>
[quoted text clipped - 90 lines]
>> >
>> > Phil

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Chris B - 16 Oct 2004 09:24 GMT

I took Tosca to the vet and he gave her a heart test - wired her up and
switched on a machine to measure her heart beat. Her murmur is really loud
but he said that the heart was within normal limits and she was fine, so
long as no showing any outward signs - i.e. breathlessness, etc.

He could have done a scan but said it was not kind unless absolutely
necessary - as it's stressful - she would have to lie still for about 15
mins.

I'm happy with his assessment and will stop worrying about it.

Thanks for all the help

Chris

>> Phil
>>
[quoted text clipped - 90 lines]
>> >
>> > Phil

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Phil P. - 16 Oct 2004 10:32 GMT

> I took Tosca to the vet and he gave her a heart test - wired her up and
> switched on a machine to measure her heart beat. Her murmur is really loud
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Thanks for all the help

Chris,

Thanks for the update.

I don't mean to worry you, but cats with HCM can have a normal ECG.

You said "her murmur is really loud". My guess is the murmur is at least a
grade III. Most hemodynamically important murmurs are at least grade III
and indicative of heart disease.

I'd really reconsider an echocardiogram if I were you.

Best of luck,

Phil

> Chris
> >
[quoted text clipped - 92 lines]
> >> >
> >> > Phil

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Chris B - 16 Oct 2004 11:43 GMT

What's an echocardiogram? Is that not what she had?

My vet is a heart specialist. I think he did an ECG but not sure what it
was. She was wired up to all legs, etc. and he got a print-out.

>> I took Tosca to the vet and he gave her a heart test - wired her up and
>> switched on a machine to measure her heart beat. Her murmur is really
[quoted text clipped - 146 lines]
>> >> >
>> >> > Phil

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Phil P. - 16 Oct 2004 12:19 GMT

Chris,

> What's an echocardiogram?

Ultrasound.

Is that not what she had?

I don't think do.

> My vet is a heart specialist. I think he did an ECG but not sure what it
> was. She was wired up to all legs, etc. and he got a print-out.

That's an ECG/EKG (electrocardiogram). During an echocardogram (a/k/a
ultrasound) the vet or technician uses a probe that looks a little like a
microphone that sends out sound waves to view all areas of the heart in real
time on a montor. Measurements of the thickness of the heart walls can be
made which is used to diagnose HCM.

If the ultrasound scanner is Color-Flow Doppler equipped, he can watch the
blood flow through the heart and also detect blood clots (thrombus) - which
is the most devastating complication that often occurs secondary to
myocardial diseases in cats.

http://maxshouse.com/arterial_thromboembolism.htm

With the advent of new drugs, heart disease in cats, particulary HCM, can be
treated successfully *if* the cat is diagnosed *early*.

For a little more information on HCM and how the ultrasound is used in the
diagnoses and for monitoring the response to treatment, please visit my
site:

http://maxshouse.com/hypertrophic_cardiomyopathy.htm

Phil

> >> I took Tosca to the vet and he gave her a heart test - wired her up and
> >> switched on a machine to measure her heart beat. Her murmur is really
[quoted text clipped - 146 lines]
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Phil

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Chris B - 16 Oct 2004 13:53 GMT

Thanks for this - I'll look into it.

Chris

> Chris,
>
[quoted text clipped - 210 lines]
>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Phil

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