Likely Severity Of Heart Murmur

[merree]

One of my 6 week old foster kittens has a heart murmur that the shelter vet thinks is likely a congenital problem rather than an innocent murmur that she will grow out of. She's started having fainting/collapse episodes and shortness of breath. She'll be going for an ultrasound in a couple of weeks. In the meantime I am curious - are these type of symptoms at this tender age an indication that her problem is particularly severe? I get nervous going in to the kittens at the moment, afraid I'll find her dead.

 

[duckpond]

I dont know, never went through anything like that. Just wanted to send good thoughts, and hope she does grow out of it or get better. Best wishes for her, and you!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

From the reading that I've just been doing, it does sound as if this is going to be significant. I could NOT find anything that I consider definitive, insofar as a prognosis goes. That's going to depend on exactly what is causing the murmur. Apparently, with some issues, even if it doesn't go away, as the kitten grows, it can get better, if not gone. All I can really do is tell you that our thoughts are with you. No one who fosters does so without growing to love their little charges, and they do so knowing that they will have to say "goodbye." But when "goodbye" is due to an illness, it is so bitter, and without the "sweet" of seeing them go to their forever homes. My heart is with you.

 

[merree]

We will have to wait on the ultrasound, if she lives that long. She isn't a well little kitty at the moment. The shelter has indicated that if the defect is severe she won't be adoptable, so who knows, she might have to spend her whole life with us, however long that is.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

.
merree - One of our members is a (Human) cardiologist - @Geoffrey - let's see if he'll be kind enough to render a professional opinion in this direction.
.

 

[epona]

Cats often do have what are called "benign" heart murmurs, but I do think this sounds more significant if the kitty is not well, an insignificant or benign murmur does not cause the sort of symptoms you describe. (One of mine has a low grade murmur audible using a stethoscope, but doesn't have any other symptoms of a heart condition and ultrasound showed there wasn't anything serious wrong).

I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for your little foster kitty.

 

[Candybee]

I saw something very similar to this on one of those My Cat From Hell episodes. The cat was able to get the heart condition under control with meds. Don't remember what the meds were thou. So there is hope it can be a condition that can be controlled through medication.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

It is such a comfort that she has a soft place to land for whatever time she has. Crossing fingers and lighting candles that this will be manageable, and that she can find her Forever Home one fine day!

 

[merree]

The diagnosis is in and it's not good. She has aortic stenosis, likely a severe case though she's still too small to be able to do ultrasound measurements. She can't be placed for public adoption so we had a choice of having her euthanased immediately or adopting her for as long as she has left. It's probably not hard to guess which option we chose! If she survives desexing she will be coming back home with us to stay.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Bless you for trying so hard, and for being ready to give this special little girl a home. Let me know if she pulls through. Is her surgery today? I'm going to light a candle RIGHT NOW, just in case.

 

[merree]

She did indeed survive her surgery, and she's back home and officially ours! She'll get a follow up ultrasound (kindly done for free by the vet) in a few months to have measurements done. We are also keeping her brother, who is perfectly healthy, so our permanent cat population has just jumped from two to four.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I was so worried about that precious little scrap of fur! I'll keep that candle lit for a few days, for her recovery. WELCOME TO TCS, Little Girl! And your brother, too! What have you named them?

 

[merree]

Heart baby is Jellybean. Her brother is Brian (because he's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy ). He's a fluffy tuxedo baby.

Jellybean seems to have had a personality transplant along with her spay. It's like she's suddenly woken up. No more sleepy kitten - she's playful and cuddly and inquisitive now. You'd never know there's something wrong with her.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Awwwwwww! Here's hoping for a long, healthy and happy life for both of them! YOU GO, JELLYBEAN!

 

[merree]

I have a bit of a dilemma. Jellybean is due for her second vaccination in a couple of weeks and I don't know if it's really in her best interests to have that done.

Her murmur is so severe that I can feel it through her chest wall when I hold her, like her heart is buzzing. She is abdominal breathing all the time and she's fallen behind her brother (the runt) in weight and size. She eats as much as he does but she uses up all her energy keeping her heart beating so she's quite thin.

I know the vaccination is meant to protect her from disease but I worry that it would be unnecessary stress for her and further shorten her life. She's an indoor cat living amongst other indoor, vaccinated cats. Would the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks for her in her situation?

(I'm aware that a day will come when her quality of life becomes so poor that I will have to make a decision to end it, but despite her challenges she seems happy enough for the moment.)

 

[di and bob]

I wouldn't risk stressing her any more then necessary. If you are going to bring other cats into your home, then yes, but if she is indoor amongst vaccinated cats, I wouldn't. If she's not growing normally, and gets out of breathe, her time may be short, just love her and spoil her, it is all she wants and needs. May God bless that sweet little girl!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

No, don't stress her further. Just let her enjoy what time she has, and you enjoy her right back. You are BOTH held close in our hearts.

 

[merree]

Apparently it's too much to ask for things to go right

She has a hernia, possibly two. I'm going to have to take her to the vet after all. Surgery is not something I'm willing to risk so I really hope they don't get any bigger. Considering that I'm sure they weren't there yesterday (well, the children are sure - they're the ones risking their hands by tickling cat bellies) I don't have a lot of confidence that this will end well.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Keeping that candle lit, and adding a special angel to it!