Diet for 15 year old cat w/ Congestive Heart Failure, on Vetmedin

[Columbine]

You've really had a rough time. It can't be easy dealing with everything that has happened.

Firstly, stop beating yourself about the past. It wasn't your fault that she lived outside. She's got a warm
, secure, loving indoor home when it matters the most, and she clearly isn't upset about living outside. Cats don't think that way.

Secondly, try to ignore some of my experiences. When I first replied to this thread it was *not* my intention to go into that level of detail, as I wasn't sure that it would be constructive for you. I let my emotions get the better of me and I apologise for that. Keep in mind that we were unable to begin treatment with Cali until far nearer the end than it seems that you are.

Stay as calm and positive as you can. You've provided a wonderful home for her, and the best care possible. I'm sure she will intigrate...it might just take a little longer. Cali, even at his stage, got through our bathrooms being *majorly* remodelled without attacks. It can be done.

She's a beautiful girl. Enjoy your time with her.

 

[stephenq]

@mark87

My friend is feeding Primal Raw Venison to her dog, venison being lowest in sodium.  She has researched this deeply and says there is also a feline version

See http://www.primalpetfoods.com/product/detail/c/7/id/14

 

[mdemany]

I too am dealing with a newly diagnosed kitty with heart failure. She had lost weight and stopped eating. Two things that have helped - I think - along with the Vetmedin and Lasix are - Ondansetron (Zofran) for nausea and Mirtazipine (Remeron) for appetite stimulant. 

The ondansetron is small - 1/2 tablet given twice a day with the Vetmedin.

The mirtazipine is a tiny portion of a tablet given only every three days --- it really seemed to make my Cecily want to eat.

Luckily no vomiting. I too am letting her eat whatever she will - pretty happy with fancy feast "classic" formulas, or any kind of wet kitten food. I have also heard good things about feeding them baby food - meat versions.

Good luck - but definitely get some anti-nausea medicine.

M

 

[TLD]

If its any help I had a cat with chf. He was too far gone for vetmedin to be of any use. Nothing was ever said about dietary changes being necessary. My greyhound is in the early stages of chf. The only advice my vet gave me was to feed him what he wants to eat! Chf and vetmedin both cause loss of appetite. My vet said he'd rather see an animal eating what they were happy with than watch them waste away in front of a bowl of nutritionally perfect food that they don't fancy!

Chf is nasty. Go one day at a time. Don't get too hung up on perfect diets etc. Keep routine as normal as possible. Try not to let on you're worried even if you are. Enjoy the good days - I wish you lots of them.

Thanks, I may try the feliway, you're the second person to suggest that for introductions.

I'm trying my best to be positive. My second brother passed away in January, and now I have my childhood pet facing this horrible condition... so it's just been a lot of stress for me at once. It's been tough for me because she really is special. My family has had her since I was 13 years old (I'm now 28), when we found her in my parents back yard with a litter of kittens in the side of a rusted out barrel. Our family's dogs ended up killing the kittens. My parents were always more of dog people, so they never let her inside. I remember winters when they would keep her outside in the freezing cold. They eventually started moving her in for the winters in recent years, but only in isolation for days on end sometimes in a heated garage.

Two weeks ago, I brought her to my apartment 30 miles away thinking it would be the best thing for her, to provide a house where she can get lots of attention in her old age. After I brought her here is when she had the episode (shortly after trying to introduce her to the cats). Even through it all though she has been so loving. It is heart breaking because I see how happy she is living here with me, and she should have had this attention her whole life. She absolutely adores people. And to me, it's remarkable that she survived after having lived outside for 15 years, and only going to the vet once in her life. She's definitely got a lot of fight in her.

Sorry, getting a bit sappy. She's just had a tough life so I hate to see something like this happen to her. I'm going to try to make what time she has left wonderful.

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• mark87
• Mar 9, 2015

Mark 87

 

[TLD]

We have an 11 yr old male cat who was diagnosed with CHF. Just this past January his first episode was open mouth breathing and we rushed him to emergency (4.8 mile ride) in the wee hours.... he was immediately placed on oxygen during that time he was in guarded condition and given Furosamide injection, Vetmedin and nitroglycerin patch on ear. He remained on reduced oxygen thru the next day then gradually without oxygen and remained stable. We were able to take him home a day later..... giving Vetmedin and Furosamide every 12 hours with his normal diet of fancy feast turkey as vet said it was ok. He has since had 4 more episodes of open mouth breathing and each time rushed to ER .... thankfully only 4.8 miles from home... he would become stable on oxygen after 6-8 hours then observed til vet felt it was safe to take him back home..... last 2 episodes were 10 days apart and on last emergency vet added Enalapril to his meds, but upped the Furosamide to every 8 hours and keeping the Vetmedin and Enalapril every 12 hours. It's been 26 days and Henry is doing well but every day is a gift (even tho he is a fighter and has pulled through when vets thought he wouldn't) we know every day could be our last.... we try to maintain a calm existence at home with his family of 7 cats and 2 dogs!!!! So to date he is taking 1.25 MG Vetmedin tablet and Enalapril 2.5 MG tablet every 12 hours and Furosamide 12.5 MG tablet every 8 hours. Sometimes we can fool him and hide his tablets in his wet food (we discontinued all kibble 2 months ago) we check his respiratory rate often throughout the day, which alerted us to our last emergency that another open mouth episode was beginning, which was when Furosamide was upped and Enalapril was added..... we have a cardiologist appointment scheduled but unfortunately not until January 2020 as the waiting list is extremely long....
We will continue to do whatever it takes to keep our boy going..... sorry this is so long but I hope it's helpful. .... blessings and good luck to all who are fighting this dreaded disease with your precious pets xxxx

 

[TLD]

Mark 87

Also wanted to say..... Sorry about your losses and wish you the best with your cat now living with you. I hooe it all works out well....

 

[TLD]

I too am dealing with a newly diagnosed kitty with heart failure. She had lost weight and stopped eating. Two things that have helped - I think - along with the Vetmedin and Lasix are - Ondansetron (Zofran) for nausea and Mirtazipine (Remeron) for appetite stimulant.

The ondansetron is small - 1/2 tablet given twice a day with the Vetmedin.

The mirtazipine is a tiny portion of a tablet given only every three days --- it really seemed to make my Cecily want to eat.

Luckily no vomiting. I too am letting her eat whatever she will - pretty happy with fancy feast "classic" formulas, or any kind of wet kitten food. I have also heard good things about feeding them baby food - meat versions.

Good luck - but definitely get some anti-nausea medicine.

M

Somewhere on the CHF diet I saw on the DO NOT FEED LIST was baby food bc of its high sodium content. We had to give Mirtazipine after third episode but luckily his appetite returned after being back home a week or so.... which I think the Enalapril makes him hungry
Good luck wishes xx

 

[TLD]

Hi guys.

I posted a few days ago in the general health forum on here, and was really grateful for the responses I got-- thought I would turn to you guys again for another question in the caring for my cat who has CHF, this time pertaining to a proper diet for her condition.

So far, she is on:

Clavamox (antibiotic)

Furosemide (to reduce fluid retention in lungs)

Enalapril (to dilate blood vessels)

Vetmedin (to strengthen heart contraction)

I have read plenty of sources that Bella needs to be on a low sodium diet. She prefers wet canned food. I have been going a little crazy trying to find out what products offer low sodium. I did find that there are a few Science Diet flavors with low sodium, however they are fortified with calcium. I am afraid to try it, seeing as how Vetmedin function by already providing a large dose of calcium. I'm not sure if this will cause some sort of effects.

I called Purina to ask about the Friskies canned cat food that I feed them (savory shreds and prime filets), and I was completely surprised to hear that customer service rep tell me that all of the Friskies that I feed our cats already is low in sodium.

Questions: A) So, do you guys think that the Friskies brand that I currently feed her with the low sodium would be enough? Or are there other things that I should be considering in her diet that the Friskies likely doesn't contain?; and B) do you think there is any reason to be concerned with the extra calcium in Science Diet, if she is on Vetmedin?

If She seems to be doing great now that she is out of the hospital and breathing on her own, and I want to try to extend her quality of life as much as possible.

Thanks,

Mark

The lower down on the ingredients list that you find sodium is better, we feed fancy feast classic pate turkey n giblet's of chicken pate..... I cook fresh salmon (bought frozen) steamed chicken breasts and occasionally ground sirloin cooked to a slightly med juicy rare.... it's easy to disguise the tablets in human foods but when our Cat catches on and spits them out then we give the tablets by hand. I cut the Vetmedin in 3ieces with a poultry scissor as it's really too large for a cat and I wash my hands well after handling the heart meds.... as it's absorbed thru your skin after handling ....