[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference misery::feline

Title:Meower Power - Where Differing Opinions are Respected
Notice:purrrrr...
Moderator:JULIET::CORDES_JA
Created:Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1079
Total number of notes:28858

833.0. "Excess Fluid" by SPESHR::JACOBSON () Fri Nov 18 1994 09:40

    
    I am looking for a little advice and expertise. My 10 year old cat
    Harley was in respitory distress Wednesday and we rushed him to the 
    vets. They took x-rays and he had a huge amount fluid around his
    lungs and heart (they had never seen that much in a cat). They had
    to put him on oxygen after the xrays he got so worked up. They drained
    the fluid and gave him an EKG. The fluid showed no tumor cells and
    was not the color that of fluid that is infected with the FIP virus.
    They have sent a sample of the fluid to Tufts for evalutation. The
    EKG was normal. 
    
    The vet didn't think he would make it through the night. Harley made
    a big improvement overnight. All the fluid is now gone (they also
    gave him a shot of a diuretic). His temperature is normal although
    his white blood count is up slightly. He came home with us last night
    with 3 viles of pills (antibiotics, bronchial assistance and diuretic).
    He is still doing fine this morning.
    
    Monday we will get the results of fluid analysis. The vet also
    suggested a cardiac ultra sound to check for cardiomyopathy (his heart
    was slightly enlarged on the left side).
    
    Anyone have any ideas. We know pnemonia is a possibility.
    
                                                     Alice and Harley
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
833.1USCTR1::MERRITT_SKitty CityFri Nov 18 1994 10:5417
    I'm glad to see your on top of it and are also having him
    tested for Cardio.
    
    I just recently went through a similar experience with my Ziggy,
    but the X-ray showed only fluid in the lungs and not in the heart
    area.   Ziggy was diagnosed with a touch of pnemonia and also
    an upper respitory problem.
    
    I have also lost a 2 year old kitty to Cardio, and I had no idea
    he had problems until it was to late.   Even if the tests come
    back positive...I do know many Cardio kitties who live a normal
    life on heart pills that have to be taken every day.
    
    Please keep us posted...and we'll have our fingers crossed for
    you and Harley. (I just love that name!!!)
    
    Sandy   
833.2getting betterSPESHR::JACOBSONMon Nov 21 1994 14:538
    Harley appears to be doing much better. He's begging for food, plopping
    down on the newspaper while you try to read it,trying to sneak out, and
    tormenting me. It is amazing how much more you can tolerate after your
    pet has been very sick. He is not thrilled with taking his pills every
    day, but I get them down him. We don't have the fluid analysis back
    from tufts yet.
    
                                           Alice and Harley
833.3blood work is normalSPESHR::JACOBSONTue Nov 29 1994 08:5211
    Well Harley's blood analysis came back. Everything is normal. Liver,
    kidneys, sugar level, thyroid is all normal. The vet believes this
    points to the enlarged heart. She believes that caused the excess
    fluid. She gave us two options due an ultrasounds probably followed by
    lots of medication or keep him on lasix with follow up x-rays in 5
    months. She said it has not been her experience that lots of heart
    medicine has extended a cats life for a long period of time. We will
    try the lasix route. My parents kept a Boston Terrier with an enlarged
    heart and excess fluid alive for 9 years using lasix. 
    
                                              Alice and Harley
833.4mirtal valveSPESHR::JACOBSONFri Dec 02 1994 10:2411
    Well Harley went into respetory distress again. We got him stabilized
    and had a cardiac EKG ultrasound. The vets at Shrewsbury animal
    hospital have gone above and beyond the call of duty with him. HIs
    mitral valve is not functioning.  He will be on heart medicine and
    lasix for the rest of his life (I forget the name of the heart
    medicine). The Dr Gillam was very optimistic that Harley will do well
    on this medicine. He also needs to be on a low sodium diet Hills HD or
    the equivilent. Anybody with experience on mitral valve problems I
    would like to hear from you.
    
                                              Alice and Harley
833.5Replacement?USCTR1::SCHILTONMRO3-1/E9, DTN 297-7558Fri Dec 02 1994 12:187
    re mitral valve problems ...
    
    I don't have experience with the problem in a cat, but my Dad's
    wasn't functioning last year and they replaced it with an artificial
    one.  Is that a (practical) option for a cat?
    
    Sue
833.6SPESHR::JACOBSONMon Dec 05 1994 09:079
    The vet said they don't do that in cats. Even if they did I don't think
    I would put him through the operation. He is better on his medication
    although 100%. Hopefully he will live another year or two. I just need
    to prepare myself for when he takes a turn for the worse.
    
    He really hates being fed seperately from the other cats. That Hill's 
    HD smells awful.
    
                                       Alice
833.7SPESHR::JACOBSONTue Jan 03 1995 15:358
    I've been quite tardy on updating this note. On Dec 15th we had to
    put Harley to sleep. He went into respitory distress again for the
    third time. The vet was will to drain him again, but said he probably
    wouldn't live out a year. Every two weeks he was filling up with fluid.
    We decided it would be most humane to put him to sleep. We miss him 
    a lot, but we have great memories of him too.
    
                                               Alice
833.8MROA::DJANCAITISAmericas MCS AdminTue Jan 03 1995 15:565
   Alice,

  My condolences - I'll add Harley to the SLM listing.......

    Debbi J
833.9LJSRV2::FALLONTue Jan 03 1995 16:293
    I am sorry for you too.  We almost lost Stinky on Christmas Day.
    We all send our condolences.
    Karen
833.10BPSOF::EGYEDPer aspera ad astraWed Jan 04 1995 06:332
    My thoughts with you.
    Nat
833.11USCTR1::MERRITT_SKitty CityWed Jan 04 1995 07:547
    My heart and prayers are with you during this sad time.  It's so
    hard to lose a furry family member...but hopefully all those 
    wonderful memories will stay right in your heart forever.
    
    Sincerely...
    
    Sandy
833.12HELIX::SKALTSISDebWed Jan 04 1995 10:095
    Alice, I'm so sorry .
    
    Karen, I hope Stinky is better.
    
    Deb and The FIRM