Feline Congestive Heart Failure - QUESTION

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Squeaky and KT (GA)

Squeaky and KT (GA)

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QUESTION for anyone familiar with R/CHF in cats:

ScruffyKitty (civie) Congestive Heart Failure (bad murmur),
takes Enalapril 2.5mg once daily,
10mg Lasix 1-2 times a day according to his fluid buildup and dehydration.
Diagnosed January, 2012.

Scruffy has started licking his front legs and chest over and over and over, sometimes for minutes at a time. I noticed him sitting meatloaf for a bit yesterday but not for long. I also notice him laying on his side much more often than his usual tummy sprawl. Anyone know what these things are telling me? I've learned SO much since we arrived here last June....I didn't even know that meatloafing potentially meant pain! He's becoming less active, prefers now to spend most of his time laying in the shade or in his room on his bed. He's still eating but just 'OK', not eating 'Good'. He's part Siamese so is skinny as a rail with long legs.

ANY help greatly appreciated!!!
 
Sorry ScruffyKitty isnt feeling well. Merlyn had Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and had fluid buildup in his lungs when diagnosed (pulmonary edema), which did go away with lasix. Has ScruffyKitty had fluid in the lungs and thats why hes on the lasix? I ask because theres also Plural Effusion, fluid around the heart, and Ascites which is when fluid accumulates in the abdomen. It sounds like you would notice the abdomen if hes thin framed. Maybe he needs xrays to see if the lasix is getting rid of the fluids?

Its possible (and I am not a vet/tech) that hes having more trouble breathing, and thats making him tired. Merlyn would stop eating and get very tired when he had fluid buildup. We were balancing the subqs for his kidneys and lasix for his heart (NOT to be done without advice of vet) and we found a balance that worked. Laying down on his side may be an easier position for him to breathe. I would think being on the tummy would put more pressure on his chest?

I dont know how often she gets to check her PMs but you might PM Jess and Earl, shes a vet tech with a veterinary cardiologist and shes been an amazing help to lots of heart kitties on the board as well as general vet tech advice.

Sending many cyber hugs and feel better vibes.
 
Thanks Lisa and Jeanne,
His issue is ascites thus the lasix. The fluid not only gathers in his abdomen area, it also gathers under his skin at the front of his chest and down his back legs. He was checked by vet Wednesday, his lungs sounded clear, his temp was fine, his mouth/teeth in good condition. He woke up evidently choking on something Wednesday, started foaming mouth, shaking his head and pawing at his mouth. It cleared up as soon as he did that but I took him in just in case he had something else starting like a bad tooth or respiratory problems. He does have some fluid built up that I can see BUT it's a delicate balancing act with him - he gets dehydrated elsewhere if he takes both doses every day.

Breathing easier makes sense...today I'll take that over 'getting worse...' I already know that.... :cry: ...I just don't want to face it today...

HUGS!
 
Something my aunt does to help reduce excess fluid buildup is to use distilled water in all her cooking and drinking.

I don't know if it would help, but the idea is the kidneys need a specific ratio of water to solute (chemicals to be excreted, like urea). By using distilled water, which has nothing in it (no minerals, just H2O), it is easier to draw solute out of the body.

Since many of us add water to the canned food, that would be one place you might use it. You might blend it with tap water, too.
 
How was Scruffy's CHF diagnosed? Did they do an ultrasound?

When Beau was dx with HCM (in 2002), his heart was enlarged on an xray and I took him to a cardiologist/internist who did an US to confirm the dx. He had all the symptoms you describe for Scruffy, including a murmur, and LOTS of fluid in his chest and abdomen. 600 cc's was aspirated under US guidance. He was put on lasix, pred and diltiazem. (600ccs is about 2-1/2 cups of fluid, btw!). He had severe p-titis at the same time, which might have been chronic, low grade inflammation and that, in turn, caused the HCM.

Eventually he was weened off lasix and then pred (after almost a hear of pred). He is still on diltiazem.

My understanding is that HCM precedes CHF so I wonder if diltiazem (or similar) would help Scruffy's heart beat better and therefore move more blood and more lymph which would get some of the fluid out of his tissues.

I am so sorry that you are going through this with him. Sending healing prayers his way.
 
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