my cat has recently been diagnosed with a mild heart murmer - what are the next steps for treatment?

Question

my vet has recommended she has an xray and ultrasound - what can i expect and what are the treatments?

Answer 1

Hi Abbie...The vet may elect to do a chest x-ray and/or Electrocardiography (ECG) exam. Among other things, this helps show whether there is pulmonary edema present and if the heart is enlarged. If these signs are present, the vet may refer you to a cardiac specialist who in turn will perform an ultrasound scan to confirm if the heart walls are thickened or thinning.

Several causes of CARDIOMYOPATHY (CM) have been identified.

In older cats, thyroid disease (hyperthyroidism) can cause a variation of hypertrophic CM, and this is the most treatable cause.

A deficiency of taurine, an essential amino acid, will cause dilated CM, although commercial cat foods are now supplemented with taurine so this does not occur as frequently as HCM. CM is also associated with an unidentified inflammatory process within the heart muscle.

However, many cases of CM are Idiopathic (of unknown cause) and are not caused by any of these processes. There is some speculation that it is caused by renal failure and/or high blood pressure but to date, the medical establishment has no definitive answer for this question.

If the heart problems are as a result of renal failure and/or high BP, then treating those problems can help the heart. However, sometimes even that is not enough. (HCM) must be treated early, and aggressively.

Avoid commercial foods (especially dry formulations) which are very salty. If possible, prepare a home-made diet for your cat with no added salt. Add at least 500 mg of taurine to your cat's food daily or give by mouth in the form of a capsule/tablet.

Allopathic treatment consists of the use of Lasix (especially if fluid is present in the lung cavity). This drug will rob the rest of the body of valuable moisture and minerals like Potassium, Magnesium, etc.

Other allopathic drugs such as Cardizem (Diltiazem) and Norvasc are usually prescribed, but read the side-effects carefully, and check the PDR. Most of these drugs can cause renal problems and an irregular heartbeat, both of which an HCM kitty may already have.

To learn more about HCM: http://dsl.org/hcm/
http://www.cpvh.com/Articles/75.html
http://www.wbvc.bc.ca/hcm.htm
http://www.fabcats.org/heart_murmurs.html

Answer 2

A heart murmur is just that - an extra sound the vet can hear with a stethascope. The vet can't tell much more than whether it is systolic or asystolic from the sound (ie when during the heart beat the sound uccurs)

An X-Ray will show if the heart is enlarged and if there is any problem with the lungs.

Un ultrasound will show the internal structures such as the heart valves and how the muscle wall is moving.

Until the vet knows what is causing the murmur he/she can't treat it.

My cardiology experience is in humans not cats so I can't help with the treatment except to say sometimes a murmur is nothing to worry about, the heart is healthy it just makes an extra sound. Also how old is your cat? Humans often develop a murmur as young children that goes when they get older.

Answer 3

A heart murmur just means there is some abnormal flow of blood, thus an abnormal sound is generated. There may be nothing wrong with the heart muscle itself, more likely something going on with valves or vessels. Mild murmurs often dont require immediate treatment but should be monitored regularly depending on the clinical signs if any and results of the initial EKG, rads and cardiac ultrasound done by a board-certified vet. Many animals and people can live normal life spans with low-grade murmurs and may require treatment only later in life or not at all. It really depends totally on what is causing this abnormal sound which is what you hope to discover with the diagnostic tests. It sounds like your vet is on top of this and making good recs.

Answer 4

if the vet has said its a mild heart murmur this is fairly common in most older cats. a severe heart murmur is more worrying.
the radiograph and ultrasound will allow the vet to have a diagnostic aid in identifying how best to treat.
we are looking at the size, shape etc of the heart.
most go on supportive medication to help support the heart and means the cat will be on permanent medication its whole life.
regular check ups will be required to check the heart or adjust medication.
an ECG (electro-cardio gram) may also be done to see how the heart is coping.

each case is different and if you are confused or need further help understanding the treatment your vet should be happy to talk this through with you.

qualified veterinary nurse UK

Answer 5

The x-ray and ultrasound are probably just for the vet to double check on what's going on. Just to see if there is a big problem or not and see exactly what's going on. I've had an EKG done for a heart murmur--it's pretty standard. The vet may not recommend any special kind of treatment at all, or she may suggest some sort of medicine. Also, some dogs we have had with murmurs are fitted with a sort of jacket-like device that monitors their heart for a period of around two days. The vet may recommend this.

Answer 6

My cat was also diagnosed with a heart murmur at the tender age of 6 months she never had any treatment & none was advised! She is now 17 and although she has a thyroid problem she is still going strong. Personally I wouldn't bother but if it makes you feel easier then go for it, cost you a small fortune though!

Answer 7

There is nothing that can be done. My kitten had a heart murmer when he was 10 weeks old and in to have his inoculations. A year later when I took him back for his booster shots, the murmer had gone. So it can correct itself.
A mild heart murmer is not a serious condition, and even if it doesn't correct itself, your cat can have a full and long life.

Answer 8

My cat has a grade 1 heart murmur to. Like my vet does with my cat, he will prob want to monitor your cat every six months with an ultrasound just to see if the murmur has changed in any way. My cat has to take a beta blocker tablet called Atenolol everyday for the rest of her life.

Heart murmurs can shorten a cats life, just give her the best quality of life you can while she is with you

Answer 9

Thyroid disease is one of the most common health problems we face today. From a practical standpoint, there are many ways to approach this issue. Learn here https://tr.im/t77nD

Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, is a very common problem, and there are many reasons for this, including drinking chlorinated and fluoridated water, and eating brominated flour.

Chlorine, fluoride, and bromine are all in the same family as iodine, and can displace iodine in your thyroid gland.

Secondly, many people simply aren't getting enough iodine in their diet to begin with. The amount you get from iodized salt is just barely enough to prevent you from getting a goiter.

Answer 10

that you should ask to a proffesional vet or go to a pet hospital.