Fetch's Echocardiogram

I took Fetch in this am for his test.  First she listened to his heart....I didn't breathe until she looked up and said "no murmer". First obsticle conqured.

Then she started the ECG.  Everything looks wonderful.  Heart looks great.  Checked his kidneys and other organs.  All look just fine.

The only thing was his BP was 200.  Now, he was under such stress.  His body was hard and he was shaking.  He isn't used to anyone but my dh and I and an occassional grandchild.  So she made sure his kidneys looked good and they did.  She showed me how to feel his heart.  Suggested I check it every so often.  It was really pounding at the vets.  She said if I feel "nothing" that is a good thing.  We pretty much attribute it to his extreame stress at her office.  Any position we put him in, he stayed in he was that scared.

I just did the check and felt nothing.  No pounding now that we are home and in his own little world.

She did put him on one half of an 81 mg chewable asperin or a whole 81 mg buffered / enteric twice a week w food to prevent blood clots. It is just a bit of insurance with the history of his sister.  Then she says actually only once a week.

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted.  She says he looks a bit like a maine coon.  He weighs 15lbs.  The only Maine coons they have seen is because of heart issues, it is common to the breed.   But she does say he is not a MC.

HE is now very happy back with his mom.  I hope to take her in a month or two.  Have to recover financially from this visit.  She has doubts that mom has it as she is a couple years older than her kids.  She feels she would have shown signs.  But just to be safe I will have her tested too.  And keep my eyes on Fetch and maybe have him done once a year or whatever she suggests.

Now I can start concentrating on my wallpeper removal job that has been neglected for too long.....

How wonderful, how absolutely wonderful. I can't tell you how happy I am for you. You have reason to celebrate.

To illustrate what a terrible job stress can do on our babies I'd like to share Amy's story with you. About six or seven years ago, when we went in for our semiannual checkup, our regular, long time vet discovered that Amy had a slight heart murmur. This was something new and alarming. Alarming? It scared me to death. I thought, for sure, we were losing her to heart disease. So, in total panic, I made an appointment with our holistic vet.

Getting there is a long trip and when we got there, Amy had the murmur. So this dear, sweet vet sat down, took Amy in her lap and started stroking her and talking to her like any cat mom would talk to her own baby.

And a short time later she was telling me Amy was completely relaxed and she could no longer hear the murmur.

She took a sheet of paper and drew a picture of the heart for me and illustrated how the blood flows through the chambers and how murmurs are created.

Anyway, no doubt, the same thing happens when cats are at the vet and their blood pressure goes sky high. It's the stress, the incredible stress and fear during a regular vet visit, when there just isn't the kind of time they need to make them feel relaxed and forget all their fears.

Amy had an ultrasound that showed no heart disease. And she had to have another one about a couple of years ago when she had to go in for a dental. Heart still perfectly okay.

So.....I'm just trying to say I'm very, very happy for you and Fetch. One or two follow up heart ultrasounds until you have a very clear picture will give you peace of mind. Then you won't have to do any more unless Fetch has to have a dental or some kind of surgery that requires anesthesia. (An ultrasound before such a procedure is always a wise precaution.)

I'd just like to ask you, would you possibly have the option of a vet coming to the house and taking a blood pressure reading without all the stress a vet visit would inevitably cause?

That is a very reassuring story!  It helps reinforce what she said.  Oh man, what a day.  Feels good to just chill out here with the woodstove going and kitties playing.  I sure hope that Fetch mirrors your Amy girl.  I know how you felt when you got the good news about her!  You are right...no time to let them settle down.  I know i could take him into my vet and he would keep him until he does settle down, but I really don't want to put him through another stressful day.

The vet did say if the dr. could stop by and check it sometime.  He has been here before.  I will look into it in the coming days.

My elation is tempered at the sad loss of Beeshee Marie though.  Life is so unfair sometimes.  If only I had taken her in sooner for a regular exam.  But she was so young.  Actually, we were planning on a vet visit because her 3 yr rabies is up this spring and I had planned to get her into the office for that.    In time, I will feel better, but that one will stay with me a long, long time.

Thanks again Violet for all your help and support.  It is truly appreciated!

That's great news about Fetch! It was a really good idea to have him checked out and put your mind at ease.

i am so happy to hear the news about Fetch!  What a relief!!

Aw, that is GREAT news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :bigthumb: So very, very happy for you and Fetch!

This is just wonderful, happy news!!!!! YAY for Fetch and for momma too NOW get to removing that wallpaper