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Cat Forum / General Topics / February 2006Cat Heart Disease...
Hello, We took Tango, our 1 yr old male cat to the vet yesterday, and we have been told he has Restrictive Cardiomyopathy. She says it does not seem too bad at the moment, but that it will almost certainly shorten his life. My Fiancé Claire is devastated beyond belief. She has an incredibly strong bond with Tango, almost like a mother and her baby. Tango follows her everywhere, at bed time, Tango curls up under the covers and purrs beside her. Each morning around 4am, he likes to sook on the edge of Claire's top and purr even louder, they are inseparable...she has been in tears on and off since the vet, and is not coping very well with the prospects of loosing her baby boy. I too am extremely upset, and very angry - he is the sweetest cat in the world, and irreplaceable. The VET was very cagey with us and refused to go into timescales of any sort, with the exception of saying his life will be shortened. Is there an average survival statistic? Does anyone here have personal experiences that they could share? I do not want to be given false hope, whilst it might upset us, I would like to know the absolute harsh reality of Tango's situation to allow both myself and Claire to prepare for any potential loss. Hope someone can help, Regards, Gary. > Hello, > > We took Tango, our 1 yr old male cat to the vet yesterday, and we have been > told he has Restrictive Cardiomyopathy. She says it does not seem too bad > at the moment, but that it will almost certainly shorten his life. First thing to do is have a cardiologist take a look. Your vet was cagey most likely because he didn't have answers for you. http://www.vmth.ucdavis.edu/cardio/cases/case36/text.htm -- Toni http://www.irish-wolfhounds.com In other words if I'm reading it right, see a second vet.  SignatureIf you object to logging, try plastic toilet paper and towels. > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Gary. > In other words if I'm reading it right, see a second vet. That is what my common sense tells me. > Hello, > > We took Tango, our 1 yr old male cat to the vet yesterday, and we have been > told he has Restrictive Cardiomyopathy. She says it does not seem too bad > at the moment, but that it will almost certainly shorten his life. What were his symptoms and what tests were done to determine that it was restrictive CM and not hypertrophic CM? Has the cat had any major illnesses or infections in the past? Is this a purebred cat? One reason I ask is because sometimes cats with HCM will develop RCM late in the disease. > My Fiancé Claire is devastated beyond belief. She has an incredibly strong > bond with Tango, almost like a mother and her baby. Tango follows her [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > average survival statistic? Does anyone here have personal experiences that > they could share? It is always case-dependant - that's why your vet can't give you any stats. Survival will depend on how advanced the disease is, what has caused it, the overall condition of the cat, and whether or not the symptoms can be controlled. Cats with RCM can present with a myriad of symptoms which may include (among others) shortness of breath, cough, paralysis due to blood clots, weakness in limbs, general fatigue. Some symptoms such as shortness of breath and cough can be controlled, others cannot. There is no known cure (humans with RCM require heart transplants). > I do not want to be given false hope, whilst it might upset us, I would like > to know the absolute harsh reality of Tango's situation to allow both myself > and Claire to prepare for any potential loss. I would be sure to get an ultrasound of the heart of you have not done so. The truth is, these things can go for years without causing major symptoms, and in other cases, the cat deteriorates fairly rapidly. Finding out how advanced the disease is can give you some idea of prognosis, but determining that can be difficult. A veterinary cardiologists will probably run more tests to give you more answers, but I doubt any vet will give you a timeline, if that's what you are seeking. My advice would be to educate yourself as much as you can about this disease in felines, make him as comfortable as possible and love him as much as you can. If this is a purebred cat you need to notify the breeder immediately and let him or her know that you cat has developed this disease, as he or she needs to stop breeding that line. -L. > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > The VET was very cagey with us and refused to go into timescales of any > sort, with the exception of saying his life will be shortened. I don't think your vet was being cagey- RCM a complicated disease. RCM is not as easily diagnosed or treated as HCM or DCM due to the endocardial fibrosis. How was your cat diagnosed? Did your vet perform an echocardiogram? If I were you, I'd consult a veterinary cardiologist. Go to http://www.acvim.org/Specialist/Search.aspx and do a search for an internal medicine Diplomate/Cardiologist in your area. American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Diplomates are about the best there is. If you can't find an ACVIM cardiologist in your area, my second choice would be an ABVP Diplomate/Feline Specialist (American Board of Veterinary Practitioners). Go to http://www.abvp.com/finddiplomate.aspx Best of luck, Phil Definitely see a veterinary cardiologist who can schedule your cat for a echocardiogram (an ultrasound of the heart) and start him on medications. > Definitely see a veterinary cardiologist who can schedule your cat for a > echocardiogram (an ultrasound of the heart) and start him on medications. Going to arrange this, I believe he may have already had the ultrasound last time around. I presume you are a vet? In your opinion, is Tango in real danger of dying as a young cat? Maybe a better question is, can cats with this condition survive with a full normal life / is long term, prognosis *ever* good? I am clutching at straws, Tango is the perfect pet - follows us everywhere, always wants to be involved - (he even helps wash the dishes - paws the tap water)...He sleeps with us in the bed, watches TV with us, sits on the side of the bath - he is completely and utterly inseparable from us, and at a year old, we are devastated to be told he has a killer condition :( I am hoping he is going to be the 1 in a million which survives, we really don't want to loose him, and if we do, I don't think we could bring ourselves to owning another cat - the heartache may be too much, he is like a baby son to Claire. Gary. I apologize for not being able to answer you sooner. Life dependency will depend on how advanced the disease is and how he responds to medication. Some cats have lived for years. It is however unlikely that the cat will live as long as a cat without a cardiomyopathy. While the intial work up for your cat will can be expensive due to the necessity for frequent checkups, the cardiac medications for cats are relatively inexpensive -- my cat with HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) takes atenolol and benazapril, which cost about $10 a month, retail. I wish you the best outcome. Hello everyone, Excellent news. After taking this groups advice and arranging a visit with our expert cat cardiologist, Tango has been given the 100% all clear, he had over £600 worth of tests carried out - took 3 or 4 hours, everything is healthy and normal. The reason for him being diagnosed with Restrictive Heart Failure remains a mystery, but we were told that a slight viral infection, nerviousness, and / or some other circumstances could lead to an erroneus reading. We don't blame our vet for making the diagnosis, and understand that these things happen. We are absolutely thrilled to bits, and Tango is getting more love than every!!! Glad we are out the woods, Regards, Gary. > Hello everyone, > > Excellent news. After taking this groups advice and arranging a visit with > our expert cat cardiologist, Tango has been given the 100% all clear, he had > over £600 worth of tests carried out - took 3 or 4 hours, everything is > healthy and normal. Very good news! -- Toni http://www.irish-wolfhounds.com > Hello everyone, > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Gary. Hi Gary and Claire, I am SO relieved for you! I am sure that's the best £600 you've ever spent. I love a happy ending .. and this is just purrfect. Give Tango and Claire a hug from us. Spider, Cheetah and Panther > Hi Gary and Claire, > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Spider, Cheetah and Panther Thanks for the kind words. We have all three cats insured, so didnt have to spend a penny. Regardless, I would have spent any amount required, insurance or not. Kind Regards, Gary. > Hello everyone, > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Gary. That's great news..! If the worst was ever to come to the worst, Gary, there is still hope he may survive. I don't know if you saw it, but on BBC1 a few weeks ago there was the story of Harry, a Maine Coon who had open heart surgery at the Royal Veterinary College..! He is the first cat ever to survive this kind of surgery, so there is hope for us all :-) Ivor
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