Congestive Heart Disease/Failure

[Guinevere]

Hi everyone,

My 15yr old diabetic cat has just been diagnosed with Congestive Heart Disease/Failure. We went to the vet 3 times last week as she stopped eating altogether and firstly they thought kidney failure, no improvement took her back for stomach x ray to see if there was a mass there, then they spotted fluid in her lungs so we have ended up with CHD!

She has been on medication for a week now (Rilexine 75) and has started eating again (not as much but enough) but last night at midnight she sort of fell to the floor and had strange clicking breathing and in my panic I phoned the vet emergency who offered me a callback by the vet. The sound gradually wore off and after about 5 minutes she stood up and by the time the vet called me back she had returned downstairs to her bed and all seemed well. The vet explained what had happened to her and I asked if she was about to die and he said most CHD cats die in their sleep when the fluid overwhelms them!

The reason I am on here today is because I am terrified and so anxious about it and I don't really know what to expect and which symptoms are life threatening and which ones are part of the course of the disease. I dread going downstairs now in case I find her gone and I never want to witness her struggle last night again (but I guess I will!). I'm sure many on here have had to deal with the thoughts about when to say it is enough for her and to let her go without distress but I am completely in the dark about it all. From a personal point of view, I am anxious about coping with a dying pet since I have never experienced it before. Perhaps there are some links or websites specifically for this disease that someone knows about? I am sure I will feel much better able to cope with all the uncertainty if I can gain some knowledge about it (I did manage to eventually cope with injecting my cat when she was diagnosed with diabetes so perhaps this is a disease I can handle too?).

Many thanks in advance for any advice anyone can offer.

PS. Just in case anyone remembers the tale of MOJO who I rescued from the petrol station, he now has his forever home in the Welsh countryside just outside my village and he is spoiled rotten by his staff!!

[LittlePenBigHeart]

Hi Guinevere

I'm so sorry you're going through this. One of my cats passed away in 2016 from Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, which had also developed into heart failure so I know exactly how you're feeling.

Have you been placed under the care of a feline cardiologist? When Bubbles suddenly presented with heart failure, that's who we were referred to and I swear it's the only reason we kept him going for an extra 9 months. They really were fantastic.

Now, I won't lie to you so please skip this paragraph if you want a bit more sugar-coating....ready? Okay, heart failure is horrible. A lot of cats do die in their sleep, yes. However, an awful lot also pass away at other times and you need to be as prepared as possible for this. I wish someone had warned me. I expected Bubbles to have another period of being unable to breathe and pass away at the vet. He actually had a heart attack, apparently, out of the blue, and died on the floor of our spare bedroom, right in front of me. To this day, it's the most awful thing I've ever seen. I suppose, if there is a bright side, at least I was there for him and at least it was quick-ish but it was awful and I don't wish it on anyone. Unfortunately, there's no way to predict if/when a heart attack will happen so my first bit of advice is to absolutely smother your baby with love and affection. Give her all the food and affection she'll have (when she'll have it).

MONITOR THE BREATHING. After his first attack, we were told to monitor Bubbles's breaths per minute. It feels like we did this almost constantly for the entire 9 months!! But at least 3 times a day, count her breaths. If she's 30-40 bpm, that's about normal for a cat in earlier heart failure. If it goes over 40, you should be concerned. If it goes over 50, take her to the vet. That's the rule of thumb the cardiologist gave me.

Also bear in mind that the drugs they provide for heart failure are VERY strong diuretics, so they will put extra pressure on the kidneys. If you're able to change the diet at this time to something that supports urinary function, like the More range of biscuits or Canagan wet (or dry) food, it will help to relieve some of the pressure. However, I will say that towards the end of the 9 months, Bubbles was starting to show signs of kidney problems (one night, lying on my stomach on the bed, he accidentally did an enormous wee ALL over me. It soaked through everything, including the mattress and he hadn't even noticed). You need to be aware of the symptoms of renal failure in case your girl starts suffering with it.

Beyond that, I'm afraid, it's just a downhill stroll. What could help is what we did - take not just photos but video of the things you love the most about her. I knew I would miss the way Bubbles wrinkled his nose when he ate, and his sweet meow when he wanted food or to go out, and the HUGENESS of his paws (he was part maine coon), so we took video after video of him eating, of him begging to go out, close-ups of his paws. It helps, afterwards, to see photos and videos of them looking so alive.

I hope that helps, and I'm really sorry if it's all been a bit too truthful. But if you do have any other questions, please ask.

[Guinevere]

Thank you so much for replying LPBH!

Guinevere has been on her medication for 2 weeks tomorrow. Initially it seemed to help and she started eating again. I called into the vets to ask for some diuretics too but since she has been taking them she no longer wants to eat. This morning I blended a pouch of cat food and she did lick a little of that. I also cooked up some white fish around 3pm and she ate a few mouthfuls. On occasion she will eat a few biscuit kibbles out of my hand but is even now refusing her favourite treats.

We are back to the vet tomorrow for a follow up and I am compiling a list of questions. The first one is what stage of the disease is she at and whether she will die very shortly I certainly don't want to see her have a heart attack as, like you, that will absolutely haunt me forever. She is the only pet I have ever had and she has sat on my lap for 15 years. Right now, I don't think I could ever have another pet. In the evenings, I start to fret and think I must take her to the vet and send her on her way before she starts to suffer and then in the mornings I think hey she's still here so let nature decide. She has had 2 more of those "funny turns" where she lays down and breathes strangely and each time it has been after she has done a poo in her tray. Is the straining to do that too much for her now? I have brought the litter tray downstairs and her world has been reduced to her bed and the tray, with several trips to her water bowl. Last night she didn't even come onto my lap like she insists on doing each night whether I like it or not!

So, tomorrow will be the day when I find out more and address the issue head on. I can't even get my head around her not being here but I am doing my very best to prepare myself for the worst and last night I read some of the posts from the Rainbow Bridge. A fortnight ago I didn't even know there was anything wrong....

[JulieJulie]

So sorry to hear about your baby. Sounds like you are doing right thing, keep in contact with your vet.
My experience of HCM was that my baby passed away in her own garden in the sun, i came home to find her.
If your cat wanders make sure she has id. I had my vet no engraved on her disc in addition to mine plus microchip.
Congratulations on getting her into old age, it's a privilege. My baby was only young when diagnosed but i kept her another 5 years, still only 7 though.
She was on tablets and diuretics and supposed to be kept calm. Keep an eye out for cystitis too on the diuretics and try to avoid injections they're a big strain on the heart, tablets might be better. My girl died a few days after being given convenia injection.