kitten with heart murmur

My kitten, Kitty was diagnosed with a heart murmur at 4 months. She is now 8 months and i was to get her desexed (spayed) when she was 6 months, and the vet didn't want to put her under anaesthetic. I was just wondering, if any one has been in the same situation... a young female kitty with a heart murmur. What did you do? has she been spayed or not?

My Kitty has started to get on heat and the other night was howling and i don't know if i can put up with it if the howling continues... i would really like some advice ....

thanks.

P.S Kitty was a stray that a friend of mine rescued and she has too many pets of her own and she wanted to give her a good home. Kitty is the apple of my eye and such a cutie when she isn't howling her lungs out!! hehe

Depending on the grade of heart murmur she has, i would have her spayed, as the risks of them being left are pregnancy (which will put a strain on her heart), pyometria (in which case they would have to do an emergency spay), mammary cancer (and the best chance of survival is to be spayed) and a higher risk of contracting illnesses such as FeLV and FIV.

My friend had a dog with a heart murmur which was so severe they didnt want to spay her, 2 years later she got pyometria and had to be rushed in for an emergency spay, so it makes you wonder why they couldnt do it originally. The dog was fine afterwards.

Echo had a heart murmur, we did an echocardiogram to determine if it was fixable (under an anesthetic) and neutered him at the same time. The cause was not fixable and very severe and he passed away at 8 months old. So I would talk to you doctor about it, I would agree that the cat should still be spayed, but some precautions taken.

Believe me, i DO want to get her spayed, just concerned that she won't make it under the anaesthesia. She doesn't go outside, she's not allowed to for i fear she will get pregnant.. plus i'm worried for her out there in the big wide world! She's the first real pet i have had to call my own... apart from a mouse and several fish over the past years. I guess i am more worried because she was a stray and i want her to have a good life since she didn't have a very good start to life... she was living with her brothers and sisters under a van!... she's such a cutie.. (a bit biased i am). I just want the best for her.

I will book her in for a cardio ultrasound and charge it to my credit card!!

Here are a couple of piccies of my little girl!

Since you are not in the States, I am not certain how differently things are done there in Sydney ... however, a safer alternative to IV anesthesia is gas induction with either isoflurane or sevoflurane and then continuous gas/oxygen throughout the procedure with IV fluids, pain relief and antibiotics on board during. Might discuss this with your vet as to whether or not he can provide this type of anesthesia.

Originally Posted by gayef

Since you are not in the States, I am not certain how differently things are done there in Sydney ... however, a safer alternative to IV anesthesia is gas induction with either isoflurane or sevoflurane and then continuous gas/oxygen throughout the procedure with IV fluids, pain relief and antibiotics on board during. Might discuss this with your vet as to whether or not he can provide this type of anesthesia.

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This was how my last dog was spayed.
She was only 9 pounds soaking wet at the time, and she too, had a heart murmur.

OH MY! She's BEAUTIFUL!

Originally Posted by CJandBilly

OH MY! She's BEAUTIFUL!

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Thank you!

Kitty is a beauty. I love her little black nose.
I can see why she won your heart.
I wish both of you well. Please keep us updated.

Kitty has been booked in for a cardio ultrasound on tuesday! so i'll soon know what is the cause of her heart murmur.... fingers crossed it is not too serious.

She really is gorgeous. Hopefully the heart murmur wont be too serious and the vet will be able to operate on her.

Any update since the cardio ultrasound?

Originally Posted by kathy14

Any update since the cardio ultrasound?

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An unexpected expense came up and I decided to get a second opinion, so I went to another vet who said that he could desex her using a lighter anaesthetic (something that the other vet didn't mention). Anyways, she got through it today, and she's staying the night at the vet clinic overnight so they can keep an eye on her...

thanks for asking.. i was going to update all when after she got desexed!!

I think i will still get her to have the cardio ultrasound when i have some money saved up. I know its important to have it checked out, but it doesn't seem to be bothering her at the moment.

Hi,

My Candy is 19 years old now and has had a heart murmer all her life. She was spayed at a young age and pulled through okay. She has had toothache 3 times in the past two years and each time the vet says that the teeth have to be extracted to stop her pain, but advises us of the risks each time she is put under. Thankfully, she has pulled through each time which amazes me as there is nothing to her now as she is so old.

So, I hope this gives you a bit of news that having a heart murmer is not always bad and does not always lead to unhappy endings