Symptoms of kitten fatal heart attack?

Question

I lost my 11 week old kitten today. Goldie was born with a heart murmur. Two weeks later I had him checked again and it was gone but the vet noticed that his breathing was slightly laboured
and said that because he was the runt valves etc that are not
completely formed in the womb sometimes they fill out and can be perfectly healthy kittens. For the 2 months Goldie ate, played
like crazy and you never think anything was wrong. Today I noticed loose stool on the floor and a little vomit. I immediatly
checked on Goldie and was sleeping in his bed. Then he stretched out completly made horrible painful sound and was
unconscious. I rushed him out to my vet a minute away and
he had passed before I got there. I know that Goldie was not
in perfect health, but you'd never know from how he behaved.
My question is, because I cannot afford to find out what really
caused his death...has anyone had similiar expereince like this.
Just to ease my mind a little. Thank you very much

Answer 1

First and foremost, I am sincerely sorry for your loss. It's never easy to loose a pet, but it can be particularly painful when they are very young. Although your time with him was too short, I hope your happy memories of him help you through this very difficult time.

Congenital heart defects are very risky business in young dogs and cats. Valve problems are some of the most common diagnosis. When valves function normally, blood is pumped through the heart efficiently, but when the valves are weak or deformed, blood sloshes back into the chambers of the heart that are supposed to be emptying. This turbulence can create serious problems, like blood clots, which can lead to fatal occurrences like a stroke.

The events your describing do sound consistent with a stroke, particularly if the kitten has a history of a murmur at such a young age. They're impossible to predict and even if you had been at the vet's office at the time of the stroke, there's serious doubt that anything could have been done. I've seen many dogs and cats act perfectly normal, even minutes before throwing a clot - don't beat yourself up thinking you missed a something that resulted in your kitten's death. The only way to confirm a valve problem (for example, a common one is aortic stenosis) is with an echo-cardiogram by a board certified veterinary cardiologist. And, even with a definitive diagnosis, there's no guarantee that it can be treated. In short - giving a kitten with a heart defect 11 weeks of a life where he is loved and cherished is the biggest gift you could've given.

My thoughts are with you during this very difficult time.

Answer 2

I don't know what could have happened to Goldie. I just want to say I'm so sorry for this to have happened to you. I guess it's some thing that just happened to him. It's not your fault that this happened. You did every thing you could do for him. Maybe a new kitten would cheer you up a little? Hope you feel better soon.

Answer 3

It's unfortunate when something tragic happens to out beloved pets, especially when they are so young. Best to know that you cared for him the best that you could and gave him a special home, although his life was short. Rather than beating yourself up over the possibilities, just remember you gave him all the love you could and his life was well cared for while he was here.

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Answer 4

sorry....