Heart problems!!!!!!

Has anyone had a cat with or heard of 3rd degree AV block , Dusty was diagnosed yesterday with this heart condition. I am under the understanding that it is something he can live with for quite a while, but there is nothing that can be done for it. If he was a human or a dog he would require a pacemaker, but since he is a cat there is nothing that can be done.

It also proves to be a problem, since the main reason I took him in was because he has a chronic problem with bladder stones. He has had reconstructive surgery to make him a girl and for it to be easier to pass what little stones build up, but he has developed seceral large stones that need to be removed. With his heart condition though, we are unable to sedate him for the surgery. I am now at a loss as to what to do. I certainly do not want him uncomfortable from the stones, but really don't want him to die on the surgery table.

Oh, oh my gosh, poor Dusty. I'm sorry that I'm of no help with suggestions, but I wanted to say that I hope a solution pops up for you guys.

IMHO in situations like this, the only other option is to go to a university where they will have specialists (i.e. cardiologists, etc.). They're expensive, and many times it requires traveling, but it's really the only way to know if there's another option, how you can expect things to progress, or to get the peace of mind to know you've done everything you can for him. How far are you from Colorado State? They have a veterinary college there.

CSU is one of the top 3 vet schools in the US, usually at the top. It would be my choice for a second opinion.

I am very lucky to live in a state where there are soo many veterinary options, we have CSU about an hour away from my house, we have VRCC which is a specailty center about 45 min away. I am not so very lucky in the fact that I have no money to go to these places, even though I am a veterinary technician the discounts they give are not that great and so we are faced with a money issue. I am fortunate though that being in the feild I know quite a few doctors and all have said the same thing after looking at his EKG readout. We have decided to put him on the Dissoulution diet to try and dissolve the stones and if that doesn't work then we will figure out the next plan of action. I am moving him to my mother-in-laws house on Monday to stay for a few weeks, since some of our other cats have food allergies to chicken which is the main ingredient in the Dissoultion diet. Keep your fingers crossed that it will work and we do not have to do surgery.