My little Rexy was diagnosed with serious issues recently (bile duct inflammation and other inflammation in that general area). She is a very very very timid/frightened wee thing at the clinic (trembles/shakes like a scared bunny). In the past, this shaking has even led to confusion on her bloodwork at a vet clinic, as one time it sent her CK values (muscle enzyme) through the roof - at that time, I immediately redid the bloodwork using my at-home vet and CK values were normal - showing that they were only high because of muscle shaking/trembling and not a heart muscle issue. I like to use my at-home vet for her when I can but it is not always possible.
Rexy has had a Grade 2 or so heart murmur for many years and it has been very stable. Anyhow, when she was seeing the internal medicine specialist about her bile duct etc. issues a few weeks back at specialist center, they detected a much worse Grade 4 (they might have even said 4 to 5) heart murmur out of 6. Given the negative change, I was told to get a heart ultrasound etc. as the heart murmur would affect use of subq fluid therapy for her issues (I did ask if her trembling/fear could affect heart murmur; she had also been on some subq fluids that we had stopped a few days before this checkup, at any rate, overhydration was not mentioned as an issue at this checkup). Anyhow, I wanted to stabilize Rexy's other issues before going down route of possible heart ultrasound (did not want to upset her again so soon after last ultrasound). Fastforward to today - today, I had my at-home vet out to look at another cat (minor ear problem) and asked him to listen to her heart to confirm my vague suspicions whether her trembling/shaking affected things - and interestingly, today he only heard the usual *Grade 1 to 2* out of 6 heart murmur.
This is fascinating to me. It shows that there is some very useful benefit of using an at-home vet for unusually timid/fearful/trembling cats. I could have totally upset wee Rexy again with an ultrasound and unnecessarily spent $700+ to do so. This is 2x now that serious issues were detected at a vet clinic, that when re-examined at home turned out to be an artefact of Rexy's trembling/shaking/fear/stress at vet clinic.
p.s. Not so good news it that the at-home vet did detect a Grade 2 heart murmur on another of my cats who has not had one before - so I must now keep an eye on that. This has happened since his anaphlyactic shock episode in response to general anesthesia a few months back. No idea if the heart murmur is related to this, or would have happened anyhow. Anyhow, what is, is. I cannot change the sequence of events. Disappointed as he is in perfect health otherwise. Sigh.
Rexy has had a Grade 2 or so heart murmur for many years and it has been very stable. Anyhow, when she was seeing the internal medicine specialist about her bile duct etc. issues a few weeks back at specialist center, they detected a much worse Grade 4 (they might have even said 4 to 5) heart murmur out of 6. Given the negative change, I was told to get a heart ultrasound etc. as the heart murmur would affect use of subq fluid therapy for her issues (I did ask if her trembling/fear could affect heart murmur; she had also been on some subq fluids that we had stopped a few days before this checkup, at any rate, overhydration was not mentioned as an issue at this checkup). Anyhow, I wanted to stabilize Rexy's other issues before going down route of possible heart ultrasound (did not want to upset her again so soon after last ultrasound). Fastforward to today - today, I had my at-home vet out to look at another cat (minor ear problem) and asked him to listen to her heart to confirm my vague suspicions whether her trembling/shaking affected things - and interestingly, today he only heard the usual *Grade 1 to 2* out of 6 heart murmur.
This is fascinating to me. It shows that there is some very useful benefit of using an at-home vet for unusually timid/fearful/trembling cats. I could have totally upset wee Rexy again with an ultrasound and unnecessarily spent $700+ to do so. This is 2x now that serious issues were detected at a vet clinic, that when re-examined at home turned out to be an artefact of Rexy's trembling/shaking/fear/stress at vet clinic.
p.s. Not so good news it that the at-home vet did detect a Grade 2 heart murmur on another of my cats who has not had one before - so I must now keep an eye on that. This has happened since his anaphlyactic shock episode in response to general anesthesia a few months back. No idea if the heart murmur is related to this, or would have happened anyhow. Anyhow, what is, is. I cannot change the sequence of events. Disappointed as he is in perfect health otherwise. Sigh.
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