Enlarged Heart, What To expect?

[r00en]

I posted a few months ago about one of my kittens big a little different from his siblings. While he was getting neutered around 8 months the did some x-rays of his chest and found out his heart is slightly enlarged. The vet didn't seem too concerned to be honest, she said we would keep an eye on it but he's otherwise a pretty happy normal boy. The only difference is he breaths just a little faster than a normal cat.

He's around 11 months now and seems to be doing fine. I'm going to take him in for a one year check up to make sure he's on track and still sounds and looks good to the vet but just wanted to know what I can expect. Can he live a pretty normal live? Any good supplements to help keep his heart nice and healthy and strong? What can I do as his mama to make sure he's got the best chance at a normal, love happy life? Has anyone else ever had kitties with big hearts?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I think that for your own peace of mind and to get a better understanding of what may or may not be going on, you probably should consider having your kitten seen by a specialty group that has a cardiologist on staff. No offense to general vets, but x-rays can be tricky to read and a heart can look enlarged when it is not.

However, having said that, the breathing is something on its own to pursue. An enlarged heart can be for more than just one reason, and until more is known about if it exists, and if it ties to his breathing, no one can tell you what it may mean for him long term.

You can look into this aspect and even have x-rays and whatever tests have been/are to be done looked at on a consultant basis to start off with. It is possible a specialist could alleviate your concerns, or recommend based on their expertise, what you could do, if applicable to help your little guy out.