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This forum is for cat lovers seeking everyday advice and suggestions on health-related issues. Remember, however, that advice on a public forum simply can't be a substitute for proper medical attention. Only your vet can say assuredly what is best for your cat. Don't furget to check out Catster's Cat Care Guide Book for information about caring for the health of your cat!
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Puddles- 3/1/93 - 12/28/09
May I please- have some,- please, please!
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 | | Purred: Mon Jul 27, '09 9:38pm PST | |  | |  | | Hi...this was mentioned and it may be the next move.....will report more tomorrow as I am delirious without much sleep lately. Will write more details in the morning...
Oh, I was told the Predn. would help her breathing. Still full of questions and trying to find answers asap.
Thanks everyone! xo, LeDon, Puddles Mom |  |  | |  |
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Tigger
Knead softly &- carry a big purr |
 | | Purred: Tue Jul 28, '09 2:20pm PST | | | | | | I read somewhere on the web that hyperthyroid can actaully cause HCM and with meds it can reverse. I DO NOT know if this is true, and I personally am asking the vet this week about it. Tig had the xray, and ultrasound, but they never did blood work which kinda stuns me. I am also asking about the aspirin that Bumpurr was talking about. I know that with people, they can be given prednisone after being sick to bring down lung inflamation or for asthma. (My son had this) Maybe it is the same for Puddles. Do keep us informed, because I am trying to learn about HCM myself. | | | | |
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Bumpurr
Diehard Dallas- Cowboy Fan! |
| | Purred: Tue Jul 28, '09 3:07pm PST | | | | | | Tigger, what can I help you with, not a vet, but pretty much an expert on it now, as, I refused to
accept, thats it, thats all there is. He was diagnosed at 10 months, during a wellness exam. One cardiologist said he wouldn't make it to one yr old, said he would develope fluid on the heart,
another cardiologist said he wouldn't live past a yr old.
Well,
I told my vet, start your book now, as he is the one that is going to make it!
I did extensive research, contacted MC breeders, contacted RD breeders, contacted anybody who
I thought could help me. Most were very willling to help and give additional info. I gave my vet
"homework", when I hit a dead end, and needed info, only a vet would have access to.
She talked to specialist's at alot of the universities, that I would not be able to access.
Everything I found that would help him, to manage this disease, was run past cardiologist's.
So, be glad to help you, don;'t want to re-type info you may already know, mol, but glad to ans
any ques you have.
Most important things to remember:
* he has to be on a quality grain free feed, that is LOW IN SALT
* he has to be kept stress free
* DO NOT let him be given Centrine
* any little change at all, he has to go to the vet, as in, any change in his health or behavior, as in
you see alot of posts on here, where the cat obviously needs to go to the vet, and for whatever
reason, they wait. You CANNOT wait. HCM cats have a weakened immune system, anything
hits them harder, and takes longer to get over, if you wait. It could also be a change in the HCM
condition, each time he goes in, they need to do a Wellness and CBC blood panel, to see if any
of the values have changed, and they should also do another x-ray, to see if the heart has changed
or if fluid has started on the heart or lungs.
* when he is on medication, he should also be put on L-Lysine, its an immune booster, helps them
get over it quicker. You can get this at any drug store, you want the capsuls, so you can mix the
powder in his wet food, 500 mgs, one, once a day. But, the correct dosage actually depends on
the weight of the cat, the age of the cat, and the severity of the HCM and what else is going on,
and should only be given under the approval and supervision of a vet. Some keep them on L-Lysine all the time, some only give it when the cat is sick, depends on the condition.
Forgot to put in the other post, baby aspirin thins the blood, the norm dose is one every 3 days,
but again, it depends on the severity and condition, weight of the cat and age of the cat, and again
should only be given under the approval and supervision of a vet.
Keep all his medical records in one place, so if you have to go in, in an emergency, you can quickly
grab them, and the vet needs to know this medical info. Learned this part on the horse board,
hysterical mommy's and daddy's are usually to upset, to give the proper info, and especially, the
dates.
Hope this helps, let me know if ya need anything else or have any questions.
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Puddles- 3/1/93 - 12/28/09
May I please- have some,- please, please!
|
| | Purred: Fri Jul 31, '09 7:48am PST | | | | | | Hello everyone:
We are checking in...Monday, Puddles did alot better at the vet. She was her typical self...no problems with breathing and no raspy sounds. She started taking Prednisone (1/2 tablet every 12 hrs. = 5 mg. day.) along with her Atenolol (1/4 tablet a day...1 pill is 25 mg.)to reduce blood pressure. She adjusted and seemed fine.
On Thursday, the vet called and confirmed Puddles has a Hyperthyroid. He had me take her off the Atenolol and start on Methimazole (1 5mg. tablet a day for 7 days.) Next wk, I have to take her into see the vet again to see how she is doing....
Last night, she had a coughing spell for about 2min. then it passed. She is not wobbly, very coherent and eating, drinking, grooming...and bathroom issues are normal. Watching her very careful and she pretty much stays with us.
Will let you know more later today and over the wkend! xo's to everyone on Catster!!!
My, everyone is soooo insightful & helpful!!!!!! Thank mew again! | | | | |
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Bumpurr
Diehard Dallas- Cowboy Fan! |
| | Purred: Fri Jul 31, '09 2:57pm PST | | | | | | Do you feed wet food, in the pop top cans? There is a discussion going on, in the Food section, the post is titled - you have got to be kidding me, about the possibility of the cans causing
hyperthyroidism. You might want to read it.
Glad they now know what is wrong with Puddles, and she is getting treatment, hope she is feeling better soon.  
(((((((((((((((BIG HUGS TO YOU AND PUDDLES))))))))) | | | | |
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Helmet- (3/98-9/17/0- 9) My Baby
Helmie Head
 |
| | Purred: Sun Sep 20, '09 12:32pm PST | | | | | | Guys, sorry to be tacking onto this topic but I have some questions related to HCM, Prednisone, and IBD. Here is Helmet's/my story:
Helmet, the love of my life tuxedo kitty, passed on Thursday - suddenly. He was diagnosed with asymptomatic HCM in Dec 2005
after his brother Boone, died, suddenly from a saddle thrombosis. Helmet was started on CoQ10, Enalapril and Cholarest. About a year later his Cholarest was changed to Red Rice Yeast. His echos all maintained that yes, he has the disease, but nothing serious as the enlarged heart.
Last year he was started on Atenolol 2x daily to help with the disease. During this time, he was living with my Mom because he was hiding out alot here due to not liking my partner. His last echo was in May 2009 and after being on Atenolol, Enalapril, CoQ10 and Red Rice Yeast his values were improving even more. They didn't recommend his next echo until May 2010.
However, in June, Helmet came down with IBD. He was vomiting and throwing up and it was so severe he had to be hospitalized. I drove up to pick him up and stayed with him for two weeks there. He had a laparascopy done which confirmed the IBD. Since he had a biopsy of his intestines done, he couldn't start on Prednisone right away. Instead, they started him on Leukarine (a well-tolerated
chemo drug suited for heart kitties).
At this point, we had stopped both the CoQ10 and Red Rice Yeast because he wasn't eating with that on his food, and now it was important that he ate, period. He was eating chicken baby food, but also a good amount of Wellness Chicken/Herring wet food. I got him eating again on those things, thankfully.
So, now on Leukarine every other day for two weeks. Then, introduced Prednisone 5mg every other day. Cut back on the Leukarine to twice weekly. Then, cut the 5mg Pred down to 2.5mg every other day. After two weeks of that, cut the Pred down to 1.25 mg every other day. Then, cut it down to twice weekly. I was just
starting a weekly pred and a weekly Leukarine when he died on Thursday.
About three weeks ago, I started crushing up his Atenolol and Enalapril and putting it on his food because he was so intolerant of all of the pilling by now. Usually, he would eat the majority of his wet food, but honestly, there were times he wouldn't. I tried to get him to eat it over the course of a few hours. Most times he would, couple time he didn't. Now he was eating Orijen Grasslands (rabbit, and other "novel" proteins, Eagle Pack Turkey Barley, Tiki Cat tuna/calamari, and pretty much eating on his own. Cept, occasionally he would tire of one or the other and I'd have to switch it up again. Behavior was
pretty good, seemed social, playful, mobile, but still did rest a bit. Three other cats in the house, one of which is a new 1 year old guy I've had for five months. I thought maybe he stressed him out, but the frequently played together.
On Thursday, I came home, after being gone for maybe an 1 to 1.5 hours and he was gone.
I am now at the point of self-blame, self-loathing, regret, pain, depression, anguish. I didn't want to part with his body, but was pretty much forced to. I did request (with GREAT reluctance) a necropsy.
Can anyone tell me if anything I did, stopping the CoQ10 and Red Rice Yeast, or not starting them up again after stabilizing him with the IBD, did damage? If his last echo was good enough to NOT recommend another until next May, how could this event have been heart related? Did the IBD strain his heart? If so, why wouldn't the vets at the vet school recommend a f/u echo after he was stabilized
from the IBD? Did I taper the IBD drugs too quickly?
I'm so desperately miserable without him. And, just don't understand how after seeming to make good progress from the IBD episode, how this could have happened. | | | | |
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