7/7 Max AMPS 321

Max & Lori

Max & Lori

Member Since 2021
I was hoping Max would have a lower AMPS this morning but instead he must have really zoomed up. I checked him last night at +9, but did not feed.
I went ahead with the dose increase.

I was curious what you thought about Max’s visit to the cardiologist yesterday @Wendy&Neko ?
The cardiologist came in saying there was very little change since last year’s echo, but then he mentioned some arrhythmia called vpc’s. He said these weren’t present last year, but he had a couple of episodes showing these on the ecg. He seemed to think they could be related to the anxiety of being there, but said it could be r/t hypertension or HCM. But then he said he wanted to check him again in 12-18 months and for me to get his BP rechecked at his regular vet. Of course I’m putting it all together in my head, mildly enlarged left atrium, thickened left ventricle and now seeing vpc’s? That seems like a long time to wait to recheck the echo/ecg but maybe I’m just being anxious. This is not something I’m familiar with so that sends me into researching and trying to find out what could be going on and if it should be monitored more closely. I’m out of my league here medically with animals. My history was working with high risk humans and I always erred on the side of caution. Please tell me what you think. I know that I’m a control freak and this makes me question things more. The cardiologist seemed kind of vague when I was asking questions but he also didn’t seem too worried. He just kept saying this type of hypertrophy was common in acromegalic cats. I have a hard time trusting vets completely because of a bad experience. I value what your opinions are. If you think I’m just being too anxious, you can tell me that. I just need a little guidance because this isn’t something I know much about. I’d really appreciate that a lot. Thanks in advance Wendy.

Yesterday https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/7-6-max-amps-272.279256/#post-3085972
 
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Hopefully you can read these. I had a hard time trying to post. Wouldn’t let me copy and paste.
 
Neko had her first echo in Feb of 2013, cause the vet detected a heart murmur (benign like Max's), for the first time. The echo showed some slight thickening of the heart, though just barely. The cardio vet said is was also in keeping with the fact that she was a bigger cat (Maine Coon in her family tree), so he called it just mild HCM and said not to worry about it as it was. Acros do tend to be bigger cats. It took 3.5 years before her heart became worse. HCM is quite common in acros, but there are degrees. She did not have an ECG at the time as he didn't think it necessary. And the suggestion I was given was that no follow on echo needed, unless the level or location of her murmur changed. I got the vet to check every time she saw her, which was about every 6 months. So Neko didn't get another echo until about 2.5 years later before we went to second SRT. It was very similar to the earlier one then. ECID of course.

I like the idea of periodically testing his RR. Cool that there is an app to track that now. :cool: Neko had bradycardia by the time I started monitoring her RR, and for her, anything over 26 was not normal. Having a good baseline now is an excellent idea.
 
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Thanks Wendy, for sharing your experience with Neko. That helps. I’ve called his regular vet to get an appointment for his BP evaluation and tweaking of his meds if needed. I may need to get his labs repeated too because his potassium is low end of normal and his BUN was elevated. Not sure what’s going on with the kidneys.
I worry so much over Max. I have to realize I can’t fix him, but just let him have as many happy days as he can. Thank you again for your help.
 
I wouldn't be so worried about the BUN. He's had higher and his creatinine is still quite good. Hydration also is a factor. Has he ever had an SDMA done? I'm not a huge fan, though some are. Current kitty ranges all over the place with SDMA. 6 years ago tested almost out of range, and now right in the middle. When high it does seem to mean something though. I agree the potassium should be addressed. There are reasons beyond kidneys for low potassium. The USG is also worth keeping an eye on. If you could catch a first thing in the morning pee, you might be able to take it to the vet and see what it is. I can't remember what time of day the vet visits were when you last had a urinalysis done.
 
He has usually gone to the vet in the afternoon, but at these last lab tests it was in the mid morning. He’s never had an SDMA that I’m aware of. I will ask about it.
 
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