My 4 year old boy has CHF - help me cope please

Hello fellow cat lovers.

My gorgeous loving DSH boy of only 4 years old was diagnosed on Tuesday afternoon with CHF - he was hospitalized for two nights and came home yesterday afternoon. He's on several medications, including lasix twice a day, and a blood thinner every two days.

He's been lethargic and sleepy since he got home. Not terribly interested in moving around, playing or eating unless i actually bring the food to him. He's also tried to hide a lot.

Of course I am now trying to assess the quality of his life. Not eating/moping around are sure signs he isn't happy. He even looks drowsy in his face. [emoji]128560[/emoji] Not like him at all.

Been monitoring his breathing and it seems steady and good when he's napping. But quite fast when he's awake. He ate a bit of wet food last night and has been drinking water of his own accord.

I'm worried about the following - the relentless hiding and sleeping, that disheveled look on his face, the not being keen to eat.

Is this all side effects of the medication possibly? He was stable when we fetched him from the vet yesterday [emoji]128560[/emoji][emoji]128148[/emoji]

I know it's a matter of time.

Hi, and welcome to TCS I'm so sorry its not under happier circumstances CHF is horrible, and no one should have to watch their cat go through it

On it's own, chf can reduce appetite. Some of the meds reduce appetite too (Vetmedin is well known for this), and Lasix can cause depressive symptoms in some cases - I know my chf greyhound is absolutely miserable when he's on it (so much so that we use Furosemide instead - not as effective as Lasix, but for me that trade off is worth it ), but my old chf cat, Cali , was just fine with it.

It is still very early days for you though. You have to give the meds time to get into his system. If he's no better in a few days, then talk to your vet about wheter his medication needs tweaking. All animals react differently, and (just like people) some tolerate ceratin meds better than others. With chf, its a balancing act between effectively treating the symptoms with the side effects and quality of life. I CERTAINLY don't think you should be thinking interms of 'is it time?' yet though. Stay calm and give the meds time to work. Remember that some medication side effects can wear off once the body adjusts the the medication, too, so you may well see an improvement as his body adjusts.

I really hope your boy is acting more like himself soon

Thank you for your reply Columbine. I'm a panicky person myself. I do catastrophize [emoji]128532[/emoji] I posted a pic of him in the garden now. Enjoying the sun and chirping and the birds. Normally he runs wild up and down the garden but this morning he just lay and observed.

He's hiding less... I hope that continues to be less and less...

:love: He is GORGEOUS!

It's normal for him to be more tired at the moment, but it's a great sign that he's hiding less. Remember that this will all be stressful for him too, so give him a chance to relax and settle into his new routine.

I know from experience just how hard this is, but staying calm and matter of fact about it will help you both - now, more than ever, he needs you to be as calm and normal with him as possible. Enjoy the time you have with him, and treasure the good days. Yes, chf is life limiting, but it is not an immediate death sentence. Cali was severely ill when he was diagnosed (and was 10 years old, so a lot older than your boy), but went on to live for another year before the end came. My greyhound (now 13) was diagnosed with end stage chf in early 2015. We didn't expect him to see last Christmas, but he did, and he's still going strong now! Yes, he's very definitely slowed down, but he still has a good quality of life, and certainly isn't ready to go yet.

Stay in the moment as much as you can, and enjoy your boy. I really hope he adjusts to the meds and feels more like himself again soon :cross:

Just spoke to the vet - she says he's probably hiding again because he's upset with us about feeding him pills... do cats ever get used to this?

Yes, cats absolutely get used to having pills. My favourite trick is to always have an extra yummy treats on hand, and give it as soon as the pills are swallowed. If he doesn't feel like eating, give him a big cuddle and let him know how good he is. Cali HATED being pilled (so much so that I ended up using liquid meds and a needle-less syringe ), but making sure he got treats and cuddles after made a HUGE difference.

It might be worth investigating compounding pharmacies too - I believe they can often give you a flavoured version that is far more likely to be eaten without too much persuasion. It is more expensive, but it can be worth a try.[article="22402"][/article][article="32724"][/article]

SAcatlady said:

Just spoke to the vet - she says he's probably hiding again because he's upset with us about feeding him pills... do cats ever get used to this?

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Lasix, probably the most important medicine right now as it helps drain his lungs, can also be given as a sub q injection, painless and much easier than pilling.  Most cats don't even realize your giving it as the needle is so thin.  Talk to your vet about her breathing rate while at rest - it is the canary in the coal mine so to speak, too fast and it means fluid is building up in the lungs.

Also the downside to Lasix is kidney failure, so keep an eye on this and regular blood work with your vet.  It's a tricky balance.  I wish you the best.

Hi people... just having one other concern... Snowball seems to have perked up considerably since I last posted here... however we haven't noticed him poop in his litter box at all since Thursday. He's not eating his usual amount but he still seems keen and eager when I dish up his favourite wet food. He eats maybe three quarters of a sachet a day, and a few treat food in between. He's been drinking more and more water. He must have woken up like ten times last night to drink water. But no poops! [emoji]128577[/emoji] I let him out into the garden (supervised) for about an hour each day. Ok Friday I saw him do SOMETHING in the flower bed, but from where I was I couldn't tell if he pooped or peed. I gave him some laxapet this morning. What to do??

I'm really glad to hear that he's doing better now That's wonderful news!

Drinking more water is often a side effect of Lasix (and other diuretics). I didn't see it much with Cali, but Pixie drinks like crazy when he's on it. Something else to mention to your vet, for sure, as we were advised to try to curb/discourage excessive drinking with Pixie.

With the pooping, there will be less poop as he's eating less, but I'd want to mention that to the vet too - you don't want constipation to become an issue, and (especially where there are other medical issues) you need to work with your vet to find the best treatment.

Sorry to keep saying 'speak to your vet' but, especially where multiple medications are being used, it's always best to speak to an expert. I swear my vet must get sick of me calling about Pixie but it very rarely proves unnecessary.

I'm on multiple medications myself, so I know all about weird side effects and interactions that can come from medications alone :lol3:

Hi everyone. Snowball seems to be doing ok on his meds (with a reduction in lasix, to 10mg a day, and with and appetite stimulant now and then). He's eating eagerly and is digging up his toys from all over the place. Also using his litter box regularly...

I realize this is how it goes for a while - and i know it'll eventually go downhill [emoji]128532[/emoji] I'm trying to enjoy what I can. But it's very hard...

One regular vet says he's got probably 3-6 months, but the specialist cardiologist says 6-12 months[emoji]128563[/emoji][emoji]128563[/emoji]
I'm so torn [emoji]128560[/emoji]


What I'm also struggling with is leaving him alone. Sometimes I'm out of the house for 10 hours at a time - and it's not like it's "fun" stuff but real commitments that affect other people. I don't know how to be calm anymore[emoji]128532[/emoji]

It's wonderful that Snowball's doing so well right now Mega that it continues.

I know just how hard it is, but IMO the best thing you can do is focus on each day as it comes. The cold, hard truth is that no vet can accurately petition how fast the disease will progress, so try not to get hung up on lifespan predictions. All you'll do is torture yourself if you focus too much on that

With being out of the house - life happens. Do what you need to do, and don't beat yourself up about it. The more normal you can keep everything, the more relaxed Snowball will be.

It's never easy, but it DOES get easier emotionally as you adjust to the new normal. You're doing everything you can, and Snowball is very lucky to have you. Hang in there

My cat has been on lasix fro two years now, and other than sleeping a lot, he is doing well. He is almost 16 years old though and is eating very little. He still seems happy, and runs through the yard at times, we just keep loving him and take one day at a time. The guilt you feel is perfectly normal, it happens because we love someone and want only the best for them, but believe me, he knows he is loved. The bond you have formed with him lets the love stay with him when you are unable to be there, try not to get upset when leaving him or he will pick up on that. Leave him an article of clothing that has been worn, your scent is comforting to him, my Burt uses my slippers to sleep with. I'll pray for your little one, just celebrate the time you do have left with him, none of us know how long that will be, bless you for loving him so much.