Congestive Heart Failure

[badger]

so sorry to hear that your Hunter's not well. Sending you good thoughts!

[TsPoet]

Oh poor baby! Sending both of you warm thoughts and energy to heal!

[nancielle]

Thanks, everyone, for your good wishes. Hunter is home tonight. He's still not himself but his breathing is far less labored.

His vet and I discussed having an echocardiogram done but it will have to wait for now. His current bill cost over twice what I had been told it would (and I hate the finances have to be a deciding factor now but they do) so we have to wait. The vet who was covering today commented that they detected a heart murmur and wanted to know if it had been diagnosed before. I don't remember anything being said about it.

Chloe is thrilled that her buddy is home. Ghost is even giving him a break. Will be setting up additional litter boxes (what, you mean they aren't the "must have" home decor item of the season?!)

I wish I had noticed sooner any problems he had been having. Perhaps he wouldn't be enduring this now.

Thanks again, everyone.

[westtexas]

I wish I had noticed sooner any problems he had been having. Perhaps he wouldn't be enduring this now. .

Definitely don't think this way and don't blame yourself for what Hunter is going through. Often the first sign a kitty has heart disease is when the go into failure the first time and you notice the labored breathing. Things we assess in dogs - like coughing and exercise intolerance - aren't as "classic" of signs in kitties. Felines just like to be difficult, which is why we adore them.

I am happy that Hunter is home with his family tonight Sending more good thoughts your way!

[smilingcat]

I just got back on after few days away from the site. I am saddened for both you and Hunter. You've done a lot saving his life when you rescued him.

I know you are doing the right thing and Hunter, I'm sure, is very happy to be home with Chloe, Ghost and you. If I were sick, I would feel much better to be in a familiar surrounding and surrounded by those I love. Hunter feels the same way.

Maybe his heart problem is related to heart worm. Cats can get it too. Have your vet ruled it out?

I'm keeping healing and positive thoughts for both of you.

sincerely,

[Brandi]

Poor kitty! I have had a kitty with chf. She was playing and stopped and starte coughing. But not like a hairball cough. It is a tough one for sure. Back when my kitty had it there was only a few things we could do. And she was only 7 we thought she was too young too. But she had a good life up to that point for sure. My heart is with you and your family. I am curious how they treat it now besides the fluid draining and some of the meds we had to give her. She was a hard hard cat to give meds too and thought I was torturing her. That did not help the situation.
Good luck and keep us posted.

[smilingcat]

tricks to get a cat to take a hard pill.

one is to coat the pill in baby formula. Gerber baby food chicken/turkey/beef/lamb in broth. Chicken works the best. Let the kitty lick just the baby food and when the cats gets excited with the food, take a dab of baby food on your finger and stick the pill in middle of the dab of baby food and give it to the cat. Make sure you don't get bit.

If you still have a problem, after the pill is in the cat's mouth, squirt about 0.5cc (0.5ml) of water into the mouth. This forces the cat to drink the water and the cat will swallow the pill. Don't squirt the water down the throat, just into its mouth. use a syringe without the needle.

The trick has worked every time. We have a cat who has to take meds everyday and he is only 3 yo.