Hello!
I'm new to this forum and this is my first post. I have a question about heart murmers.
I found a kitten 9 days ago, I've named him Akita. He was thin and his breathing was very labored, I took him to the vet that day. He was estimated to be about 3 weeks old and I was given medication to treat his wheezing. He then went downhill the following day...his breathing was even worse, all he wanted to do was sleep, he was dehydrated, chilled (despite being on a heating pad) and wouldn't eat for me. He spent the following night at vet's, I thought for sure the little guy wouldn't make it through the night but by the next day, they had him eating and doing well and I was able to bring him back home.
Akita has been doing well since. His appetite is great, he's even grown a bit. He's playing and a complete brat! However, his breathing never improved. It wasn't constant, it was bad after he'd been playing. After playing, he'd lay stretched out on his side and start rapidly breathing, then it would slow down to deep breathing.
Two days ago, he'd been on the medication for a week with no change, so I decided to take him back to the vet's about the breathing. I was then told that his breathing has nothing to do with respiratory problems or his lungs...he's got a heart murmer and the breathing is related to that, which would also explain his behavior after playing. The vet didn't seem too worried about the heart murmer. He said that we could do a heart ultrasound when Akita is a little bit older but maybe by that time, he'd outgrow it.
I realize heart murmers in kittens isn't all that uncommon. I have a cat who'd had a heart murmer...I was told she wouldn't make it to a year old, she's now 5 years old. But she'd never showed any outward signs that she had a heart murmer.
I also had another cat who, at his last checkup when he was 10 years old, I was told he had a slight murmer but nothing ever came of it...the vet (different vet than the one who saw Akita) didn't make it seem that bad. This cat died a year later of cardiomyopathy.
I don't know much at all about heart murmers, I've been trying to find things in books or online to read but haven't come across alot of information.
I am very worried about Akita. I think his breathing has been worse the last few days. It's more constant now, but getting worse after playing. It just doesn't make sense to me to let him go on for a few more months breathing like this, to see if he out grows it...does that make sense to any of you? I can't see how he could go on living like this that long. Should I wait? Are there any things I can do for him?
Akita is my little baby. It was bad enough when I thought I'd lose him the first few days I had him, I sure don't want to lose him now or in a few months...especially not if there were things I could've been doing for him.
I would greatly appreciate any advice.
I'm new to this forum and this is my first post. I have a question about heart murmers.
I found a kitten 9 days ago, I've named him Akita. He was thin and his breathing was very labored, I took him to the vet that day. He was estimated to be about 3 weeks old and I was given medication to treat his wheezing. He then went downhill the following day...his breathing was even worse, all he wanted to do was sleep, he was dehydrated, chilled (despite being on a heating pad) and wouldn't eat for me. He spent the following night at vet's, I thought for sure the little guy wouldn't make it through the night but by the next day, they had him eating and doing well and I was able to bring him back home.
Akita has been doing well since. His appetite is great, he's even grown a bit. He's playing and a complete brat! However, his breathing never improved. It wasn't constant, it was bad after he'd been playing. After playing, he'd lay stretched out on his side and start rapidly breathing, then it would slow down to deep breathing.
Two days ago, he'd been on the medication for a week with no change, so I decided to take him back to the vet's about the breathing. I was then told that his breathing has nothing to do with respiratory problems or his lungs...he's got a heart murmer and the breathing is related to that, which would also explain his behavior after playing. The vet didn't seem too worried about the heart murmer. He said that we could do a heart ultrasound when Akita is a little bit older but maybe by that time, he'd outgrow it.
I realize heart murmers in kittens isn't all that uncommon. I have a cat who'd had a heart murmer...I was told she wouldn't make it to a year old, she's now 5 years old. But she'd never showed any outward signs that she had a heart murmer.
I also had another cat who, at his last checkup when he was 10 years old, I was told he had a slight murmer but nothing ever came of it...the vet (different vet than the one who saw Akita) didn't make it seem that bad. This cat died a year later of cardiomyopathy.
I don't know much at all about heart murmers, I've been trying to find things in books or online to read but haven't come across alot of information.
I am very worried about Akita. I think his breathing has been worse the last few days. It's more constant now, but getting worse after playing. It just doesn't make sense to me to let him go on for a few more months breathing like this, to see if he out grows it...does that make sense to any of you? I can't see how he could go on living like this that long. Should I wait? Are there any things I can do for him?
Akita is my little baby. It was bad enough when I thought I'd lose him the first few days I had him, I sure don't want to lose him now or in a few months...especially not if there were things I could've been doing for him.
I would greatly appreciate any advice.