Hi Jean,
I've thought about you and Spot often, not hearing from you, I feared
the worst. I'm very much relieved.
The reports could have been more detailed, however, usually when the
echos are so brief, its a very good sign. The medications that were
prescribed are those of choice for HCM, and should (probably will)
keep Spot's condition under control. Be sure you do not miss *any*
doses, otherwise Spot's condition can deteriorate.
This may sound strange, but these results are good news! You caught
it IN TIME! You have certainly saved Spot's life! The main reason
why so many cats die from HCM is because its usually discovered too
late and was left untreated for too long. I know, personally, of
several cats that were diagnosed with HCM at Spot's age, and a few
just a little older, who are doing just fine today - and they were
diagnosed with HCM 6+ years ago!
The only advice I can offer is to avoid stressful situations and limit
his physical activities. As far as pilling Spot, put the pills in a
treat (small piece of roast beef or turkey), make up three treats
total. Give Spot the first treat (without the pills) but let him see
you holding the second treat (with the pills). He should chomp down
the first treat in a hurry to get the second treat (with the pills).
As you're giving him the second treat, let him see you holding the
third treat (without the pills). He should chomp down the second treat
(with the pills) in a hurry to get the third treat. Then give him the
third treat to mask any taste of the pills in the second treat. This
little trick has worked for me for 30 years! Never failed. Its *very*
important that he does not miss any medications.
Spot will be just fine! You saved his life by catching and treating it
in time!
Thank you so much for the update!
My very best wishes,
Phil.
--
"How long does a cat stretch?
From one end of my life to the other"
Feline Healthcare - http://maxshouse.com
jean <j
...@nowhere.com> wrote in message
> I finally got Spot's echocardiogram and I have the results. I am
going to
> type the report as and a list of the medications that are
recommended.
> I would appreciate any input and or additional information as I am
pretty
> ignorant in this field.
> Here is the report:
> We have evaluated the thoracic radiographs, ECG, and echocardiogram
on this
> 2 year old cat with a history of tiring easily. The chest
readiographs
> showed cardiomogaly with an increased left atrium. The ECG showed
tall
> R-waves suggestive of cardiac enlargement. The echocardiogram did
reaveal
> an enlarged left atrium and a thickened left ventricular wall
consistent
> with hyperstrophic cardiomyopathy.
> Recommendation:
> 1. Begin Atenolol 25 mg 1 per day
> 2. Begin Enacard 1mg 1 per day
> 3. One baby aspirin every 3 days to prevent clots
> 4. Continue Lasix 12.5 mg 2 per day
> end of report.
> I fear giving all these medications because Spot is very sensitive
to drugs
> and his vet seems to be concerned too, but these recommendations
came from
> the cardiologist reading the tests.
> Unfortunately, my laptop had to go back to compaq for more repairs
so I set
> up a temporary account on a friends computer. I will try and check
back
> soon. You can email me at j...@hiwaay.net
> I'm still don't know what to expect. Will he be in pain? Will I be
able to
> tell if he is in pain? How long can I expect him to live? etc.
All I can
> get from the local vets is, it's a serious condition with no cure.
> Thanks.
> Jean
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