Update on heart murmur and ultrasound

hannahgirl

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About a week ago I took my cat in for trouble urinating and the attending Vet heard a heart murmur. My regular Vet offered a free re-check because she had never heard that in my cat. When she listened, she also heard it. Tests for the bladder trouble showed nothing. Previous tests for allergies have shown nothing...so guess what...

I took my cat to the cardiologist today and he did NOT hear a murmur...but the ultrasound would check for sure. I decided to do it for my own piece of mind...and once again, it showed NOTHING. He believes her heart is perfectly fine and told me not to worry about this again for at least two years, that she is perfectly healthy. I don't know what to think...can a heart murmur come and go? If it didn't show up on the ultrasound then what were the Vets hearing? I've never spent so much money in 20 minutes LOL...

Once again I thank all of you for your good thoughts and caring!
 

eilcon

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Originally Posted by hannahgirl


About a week ago I took my cat in for trouble urinating and the attending Vet heard a heart murmur. My regular Vet offered a free re-check because she had never heard that in my cat. When she listened, she also heard it. Tests for the bladder trouble showed nothing. Previous tests for allergies have shown nothing...so guess what...

I took my cat to the cardiologist today and he did NOT hear a murmur...but the ultrasound would check for sure. I decided to do it for my own piece of mind...and once again, it showed NOTHING. He believes her heart is perfectly fine and told me not to worry about this again for at least two years, that she is perfectly healthy. I don't know what to think...can a heart murmur come and go? If it didn't show up on the ultrasound then what were the Vets hearing? I've never spent so much money in 20 minutes LOL...

Once again I thank all of you for your good thoughts and caring!
Since a cardiac ultrasound is the best, definitive way to confirm a murmur and related heart disease, I'd say trust the cardiologist and the results of the test.It's possible, especially with a grade I or II murmur, that your vet just detected a irregular heart beat caused by stress. I do know from speaking with my vet that murmurs can come and go, depending on cause and circumstances. I'd have to do more research into the exact causes. Although our vet heart distinctly heard Peter's murmur on two occasions, there was a third time that she couldn't detect it. This was right after we had been rearended in front of the vet's office and Peter was still very traumatized. His heart was beating so fat, she couldn't detect the murmur.

My advice at this point would be, along with your vet, monitor your cat's condition, especially for any other symptoms of heart disease, and return to the cardiologist for an ultrasound recheck if anything changes.
 
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hannahgirl

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Everyone has been through it all before, thank you for sharing your experiences. My Vet called me yesterday and actually left me her home phone number to let her know how my cat did on the ultrasound. She says this is good news, that the heart is good, but that we do need to keep monitoring it so we don't forget about it, which is always wise.

She wants me to bring my cat in a few weeks from now, just so she can listen to her heart again, free of charge. She also wants me to check her respiratory rate when she is asleep and count her breaths per minute. Her Husband is actually a cardiologist and she is also going to ask him what he thinks about this case. I feel bad for my cat having to take her in so often, but she is very forgiving once it is over. If only she could understand it is all for her health! Thanks again!
 
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