Bad news for civvie Spirit

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Heather & Shess (GA)

Heather & Shess (GA)

Member Since 2013
Many of you will remember Spirit, formerly Oliver, who showed up at another member's home four years ago, painfully thin and starving. I was dealing with Seasaidh's battle with lung cancer and when he died I decided to adopt Spirit even though my heart was very raw and broken. Spirit's heart was broken too, emotionally and physically, but together we helped each other heal. He developed HCM and was dx'd 2.5 years ago. He has been doing very well up until now. Today he went for what I thought was going to be a routine check-up, but I found out his HCM has progressed into severe stage. His left atrium has gotten larger, and while he is not in congestive heart failure, he is at high risk for it. He is such a sweet boy and I am devastated. The vet estimated his age to be around 8. She was going to do a junior wellness exam with ultrasound, but the cardiologist wanted to include a thyroid test to make sure that hyperthyroidism wasn't involved. He is going to stay on the same meds he's been on, Atenolol, Enalapril, and baby aspirin, but now I need to be more aware than ever of his breathing. Please keep him in your thoughts if possible. We haven't reached emergency stage yet, but it's getting pretty close.

Here is a recent pic of him...my Mr. Fancy-pants Spirit

http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc32 ... 9254CF.jpg
 
My prayers are with you and Spirit. Congestive heart failure took one of my civies early this year. It can be heartbreaking to see them declining so rapidly. {{{{{HUGS}}}}}
 
Oh Heather NO! I am so sorry to read this. I remember when you got him and how he looked - he looks wonderful now. Sending good thoughts to you and Spirit.
 
Part of the loving care we give them is helping them peacefully across the Bridge. Please know that I am crying with you. Enjoy your last moments with him - he may even be around longer than expected.

Hugs
 
Wow, your boy looks exactly like my magpie, I swear identical. I'm so sorry to hear he has trouble with his heart, lovely creature. (they told me magpie has a heart murmur when he got fixed, I'm guessing I will only get a few short years with my lovely prince as well since I lost his father to heart disease/clot just a short while ago :( )

/Hugs to you Here's hoping he decides to hang around with you for longer than expected.
 
Thank you guys so much for all of your support and prayers. It really stinks to get this news, but I'd rather know now and not be surprised. I knew this day was coming for him, that his HCM would eventually progress. He had been doing so well, and he still is, but I can't take his time with me for granted. Yes, he can be taken away in an instant, or as my vet told me yesterday, he could still have a lot of time left. But his heart dz is definitely in severe stage.

He had lost one pound, going from 12.6 lbs to 11.6 lbs, so we did the thyroid test just to make sure that wasn't a factor. The vet didn't think it was, and she was right. All of his blood work came back normal.

Deb, I'm so sorry that you lost your sweet baby to CHF. I haven't been on the board as much as I'd like as I've been dealing with so many other feline issues.

Btw, the power of the board is very strong. I had posted on the Community Board several months ago about my other civvie, Honey, who I thought may have nasal cancer. I couldn't afford to get him tested with the MRI, (if it turned out he *did* have nasal cancer, I really wouldn't be able to afford the five grand US dollars that the vet said would cost his radiation treatment), so I opted to do palliative care. If you Google feline nasal cancer, you will see horrible pictures and horror stories. The prognosis is poor with no treatment, and once there is a facial deformity, which Honey has, the life expectancy is between 3-7 months. It has been 5 months since I noticed anything was wrong, and he seems "stable" after all this time. He looks pretty good, actually. My vet is thrilled he's doing so well, but I don't think she expected this! So thank you all so much who have prayed for Honey. I'm sorry that I haven't posted any updates on him as I've been sick lately.

And thank you for praying for Spirit. He needs all the prayers he can get.
 
Barb & Mr. Frog said:
Wow, your boy looks exactly like my magpie, I swear identical. I'm so sorry to hear he has trouble with his heart, lovely creature. (they told me magpie has a heart murmur when he got fixed, I'm guessing I will only get a few short years with my lovely prince as well since I lost his father to heart disease/clot just a short while ago :( )

/Hugs to you Here's hoping he decides to hang around with you for longer than expected.
Click to expand...
Barb, that is so awful that you lost Prince's dad. I'm sorry that I haven't been on the board much. Several years ago I lost a cat very suddenly to a blood clot, and that was one of the worst things I ever had to see.

I've never had an all-white cat before, and Spirit has been such a joy and love-bug to me. He was the second all-white stray to show up at the other FDMB member's home from whom I adopted him from.
 
Whether your cats are sick or healthy, spend as much quality time with them as you can. Take photos or video. Cherish the time you have . You will find comfort in these later.
 
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