Grade 2 Heart Murmur

Hi All - I haven't been here much since Trouble died; everyone else is a civvie at present. I do have a question though, and I thought I'd ask it here since there is so much collective wisdom on this board. I have also PM'd Jess & Earl, in case she is able to answer.

My question involves my beautiful blue boy, Scout, a 10-year old Russian Blue. He apparently has developed a Grade 2 heart murmur - just discovered at his regular check-up today. The tentative plan is to check again in 6 mos to see if it is worse, and then visit a cardiologist if it is worse. However, after reading what I could find on the web, I think it might be better to see the cardiologist now so that we can prevent further damage to his heart, if possible.

What would you do if it were your kitty? Also, does anyone have some advice for me in terms of questions to ask the cardiologist when we finally go?


Thanks for anything you can tell me - Laura

 

IMHO I would go to a cardiologist now, not later. There are so many meds for different heart conditions and only a cardiologist will know which ones, if any, to use. The vet will also be able to tell you if there is any form of cardiomyopathy involved. Earlier treated less damage in the long run. Hope has RCM and has been on meds for it for well over 3 years and her heart involvement has stayed at a level 3 out of 10 being the worse. She was dx'd early and on meds since. It may be just a murmur, nothing else wrong, but sooner it gets checked the better. As for what questions to ask the vet.......hard to say till the vet has done the heart exam.

 

i'd go sooner than later

our story is a little different as we are dealing with a young kitty but i figure i can share in case it helps at all.

not sure if you saw my saga of my treedwellers? basically we found 2 kittens living in the trees behind our house. they started coming down to eat and our plan was to catch them and get them adopted out. well, the smaller of the two was outside the back door one day and not looking good. caught him, took him to the vet, problem: grade 4 heart murmur, constipation, etc....

did a few things right away to help him (enema and started him on lasix for instance) and got our options, pts? see a cardiologist? etc....

within a week or two his heart murmur was changing. it went from grade 4 to grade 2. we then went to see the cardiologist. on paper he's in sorry sorry shape unfortunately, he's got multiple things wrong with his heart. but in life, he doesn't seem to know he was born with a bad heart. so, with the help of a few meds every day that help his little heart not have to work quite so hard, the little guy so far is thriving and wearing grooves in my floors while chasing his brother around and around in circles at about 60mph in my house

yes, it most likely doesn't change the fact that he won't be with us for too long but as long as he wants to be, i'll give him those meds. to be really straight up about it, i think if i had waited much longer to decide on going to the cardiologist or not, we wouldn't have little Fuji with us right now.

as far as questions to ask, i'm not sure as i'm still learning about heart issues. little Fuji gets lasix, enalapril, atenolol, and aspirin. all meds as you probably well know to fend off fluid build up, prevent clots, etc....

not sure if that helps at all but kinda explains why i'm for sooner than later for the cardiologist. it may very well be just a murmur and nothing that serious, but it's better to know i think

 

My Mitten has had a grade II murmur for as long as I have had her, over six years, Sometimes it can be heard and sometimes not. I have not been to a cardiologist yet for her. When I adopted Sammy years ago he had a Grade III or IV I did go to a cardiologist for an. echocardiogram because he was going to have a dental. Nothing serious was found and nothing special was required/recommended and the dental went fine.

 

aww laura. poor scout.

i don't have any experience with heart kitties. but imho, if he was mine, i would take him to the cardiologist. my colleague's 13-y.o. kitty has heart disease, and it has worsened despite medication. i still can't seem to convince him into taking her in (she's "monitored" every few months by her GP vet). i think you have easy access to quite a few board-certified cardiologists in your area?

 

Thanks, everyone - we do have access to some really good veterinary cardiologists here, so that isn't a problem. And, even though my husband lost his job back in March, we can probably afford this. So, I plan to wait for the senior bloodwork results (might be something going on there) and then off to the expert for Scout. I really appreciate your help - I often think of you all, even when I'm not on the board. Best, Laura

 

to let you know, tho, many cats will show a grade 2 murmur when stressed at the vet, sometimes when something else is going on with their health. cleo presented with one at diabetes diagnosis, when her spleen was enlarged, when she was really stressed at being in the car, etc.

i spent about $1000 at the cardiologist for a full work up and her heart checked out fine. someone had scared me about maine coons having heart issues, which is why i went thru this and scared myself to death, but it turned out to be baby maine coons like 18months to 3 years old rather than a teenager like her. so it might not mean anything.