Congestive Heart Failure

[nancielle]

No, not me. Hunter, aka Widget, aka Brat Cat 1.0.

He'd been acting "off" for the past couple of days; not really eating, would just sit in one place and stare off into space, breathing from his abdomen, etc. Today I came home and found him sprawled out in the bathtub, mouth open and rattly breathing. He barely put up a fight going into the cat carrier to go to the vet and barely protested during the car ride.

Vet took some x-rays and showed me just how large of a fluid build up he had around his heart and how it was pressing against his lungs (he pointed out lots of other stuff too but I cannot remember what he said.)

They drew the fluid out (a significant amount but, not all of it according to the vet.) Hunter's on oxygen and still at the vet hospital where he'll stay the night. While not unheard of, my vet noted it's not all that common for a relatively young cat to develop CHF.

We're bummin'. Chloe and Ghost keep searching the house for him.



This is Hunter and Chloe taking over the bed.

[spokewench]

Oh, sad, I hope Hunter gets better soon

[makbike]

So sorry to hear about Hunter. If you can swing it you might talk to your vet about a cardiac ultrasound. It will allow the vet to pinpoint the problem and utilize the appropriate drugs. If it helps any I've had several cats with cardiac issues and all have responded well to treatment. Keep us posted.

[indysteel]

I sure hope Makbike is right and that the vets can zero in on an effective treatment. Poor Hunter; give him lots of love from the Crazy Cat (and dog) Ladies of TE.

[Koronin]

I am so sorry.

[OakLeaf]

Sending healing thoughts his way and comfort to you.

[alexis_the_tiny]

Poor Hunter, feel better soon!! Another way of pilling a cat, if its ok to crush the pill, grind it up and mix it into a small spoonful of those cheap canned foods in a really smelly flavor like sardines. The stink of the fish combined with the salt is usually enough to make a finicky cat ignore the pill.