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Devastation....

doriansmomma

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Hi guys, I started a thread just the other day about starting my kitten search. I obviously read every page of every website & read allot about HCM. (Something I knew nothing about since I adopted Dorian from an animal rescue)

It got me thinking. I always wondered why a Sphynx breeder would drop a bunch of pregnant females off at an animal rescue & I always wondered why the animal rescue aborted all the litters except one. (She was due in 1 day & the vet would not do it fearing for her life)

Then it dawned on me--Dorian has a heart murmur. The breeder dumped off a bunch of HCM positive mothers to get them out of their breeding program. In one respect I am thrilled they would be responsible. On the other hand, I am heart broken.

My vet told me since he is so young, there is no way to test for it. Even the tests are only about 70% accurate and since he has the heart murmur, he is almost certain Dorian has HCM.

Has anyone else dealt with HCM? If so, can you please let me know what to expect if anything? Most of what I read really involves sudden death.

The vet said meds are really optional as there is no evidence they help whatsoever unless he is in full heart failure.

I am so I just don't even know how to put it. Heart broken. I want to cry, I want to call the animal rescue & slap them for not telling me, I want to yell at everyone for everything. But it will do me no good now I guess. So any suggestions, or advise will be more then appreciated.

I guess getting a new kitten is out of the question. I will not shop for a "replacement" the thought just makes me want to die..... **sigh**
 

Mews2much

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That is terrible.
Brooke can help you she lost Harold to HCM and my friends can help also.
Just to let you know I have 2 cats with heart murmurs.
I know so many people with cats that have HCM.
We found out Meeko had one when she almost doed at 3 months old.
She is now 9.5 years old and has a grade 2/3 heart murmur.
My Coco also has one but she is almost 18.
These are not sphynx.
Not every cat with a heart murmur has hcm.
That is terrible of a breeder to dump the cats off.
Good Luck to you.
 

PitRottMommy

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There is lots of information regarding HCM on this forum, have you searched? Many of us have delt with it in our own cats or in our lines of work.

Not all heart murmurs mean HCM and HCM does not require a heart murmur. Having an echo done on the heart will determine whether or not your boy has HCM, having it diagnosed early is the best plan.
 

doriansmomma

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We are going to do the echo when he is older. I guess that because he is only 9-10 months old, the results are not very accurate. He recommended we wait until at least a year old.

I guess the only reason I accept that he has HCM is the breeder dumping off pregnant females to the rescue. Why would any breeder just drop off mothers who are due any day?

Takes any dash of hope I have & it crushes it really....
 

havingalook

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I guess the only reason I accept that he has HCM is the breeder dumping off pregnant females to the rescue. Why would any breeder just drop off mothers who are due any day?
Death/ Divorce/ Illness? Any reason that they saw fit at the time. If it was just a business to the breeder then any reason would be acceptable in their eyes.. or if their husband/ wife had passed away and they just can't cope with anything else..

The good thing is that you are aware there is something wrong and once he's scanned then you can go from there. Brooke will be a great help, I know she lost her boy to HCM.:Cry:
 

gizmo6370

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Just like pitrottmommy said...not every heart murmur means hcm....and if Dorians mom were hcm positif it's a 50% chance that Dorian also will develop hcm....
You can scan Dorian right now....if he has an agressif form of hcm it will also be seen on an early age....and then you can start earlier with the meds....if he tests negatif i recommend to test Dorian every year....
Keeping my fingers crossed that Dorian is hcm negatif....
 

Brooke

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Whoa. Where do I start? I've got a bunch of comments for you, in blue below...


Hi guys, I started a thread just the other day about starting my kitten search. I obviously read every page of every website & read allot about HCM. (Something I knew nothing about since I adopted Dorian from an animal rescue)

It got me thinking. I always wondered why a Sphynx breeder would drop a bunch of pregnant females off at an animal rescue & I always wondered why the animal rescue aborted all the litters except one. (She was due in 1 day & the vet would not do it fearing for her life)

Then it dawned on me--Dorian has a heart murmur. The breeder dumped off a bunch of HCM positive mothers to get them out of their breeding program. In one respect I am thrilled they would be responsible. On the other hand, I am heart broken.
I actually think this was irresponsible of the breeder. They should have spayed/neutered and given them to PET homes with FULL DISCLOSURE instead of dumping their problem onto the rescue system...but, I digress...

My vet told me since he is so young, there is no way to test for it. Even the tests are only about 70% accurate and since he has the heart murmur, he is almost certain Dorian has HCM.
How old is Dorian? As others have said, a murmur does not mean he has HCM and HCM can be present without a murmur. The only way to determine if he is HCM positive is with an echocardiogram, and I cannot understand any reason why your vet would suggest you don't have it done.

Has anyone else dealt with HCM? If so, can you please let me know what to expect if anything? Most of what I read really involves sudden death.
As Mews2much mentioned, I lost my first boy, Harold, to HCM. There were clear signs that he was ill before it happened. He went into congestive heart failure (the very first symptom was coughing) and was heavily medicated for months before I finally had him put down because he couldn't fight anymore. It can happen that way, or it can happen suddenly.

The vet said meds are really optional as there is no evidence they help whatsoever unless he is in full heart failure.
This is complete nonsense. I suggest you find a new vet, preferably a cardiologist for Dorian, but honestly, if you have any other pets, I wouldn't take them back to this vet either. By the time the cat is in heart failure, it's almost always too late. After that time, their prognosis is very short - usually 3 months. That's how Harold's HCM was diagnosed, and he lived 3 months and 3 days. The key to treating HCM and living with it successfully for years is CATCHING IT EARLY. We have members on this forum who have HCM positive cats that have been living with it for years, because they caught it BEFORE it became heart failure, before it was too late. If it's caught early, you can treat it with low doses of medication, lifestyle and diet changes. I'm appalled that your vet recommends just waiting until Dorian goes into heart failure. Seriously?!

I am so I just don't even know how to put it. Heart broken. I want to cry, I want to call the animal rescue & slap them for not telling me, I want to yell at everyone for everything. But it will do me no good now I guess. So any suggestions, or advise will be more then appreciated.
The best advice I have is for you to get your boy to a cardiologist. They will give him the best chance. Get an echo on his heart, determine for sure that he has HCM. Now that you know he is high risk, even if he scans clear now, you need to have him scanned again in a year to be sure that his values are the same. If he is HCM+, the cardiologist will give you a plan, most likely meds and diet change. And know that we will be here to support you, whatever happens.

I guess getting a new kitten is out of the question. I will not shop for a "replacement" the thought just makes me want to die..... **sigh**
 

Elisabet

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I wont get your hopes up. But Decibel has a murmur and that is due to a hole in her heart, not HCM. The doctor mesured her heartwall when he scanned her. She was only 11 months at the time. We have to get her scanned again in 2-3 years. But so far there is nothing that indicates HCM.
Has he been scanned for hole in the heartwall? That makes a distinct murmur.
Maybe you are lucky...
 

heather

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I'm sorry about the situation and I would be upset too. I think you should try to just do what you can from this point and get him tested when he is a bit older. It is very frustrating and upsetting but knowing ahead of the game will make a world of difference. Try not to let it get you too down because its not certain yet. Please know you are being a great mom to this kitten and definitely giving him the best possible life sick or not. I hope he is HCM free.
 

susi794

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I pray that he is ok--like so many others have said, a heart murmur doesn't mean he has HCM. If he is 10 mos. old, you could probably get an appointment with a cardiologist soon and get him scanned. Early detection is important. Try not to panic--easier said than done, right? I know. I will be praying for you and your sweet little guy. Keep us posted.
 

ckutkuhn7

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Goodluck and start searching for a Cardiologist asap and go ahead a book an appt. They may be booked up pretty far out and you'll want to get in asap. Goodluck with it all and keep us posted. I hope and pray that its all a scare and he is HCM Neggy. My prayers and thoughts are with you.
 

PitRottMommy

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We are going to do the echo when he is older. I guess that because he is only 9-10 months old, the results are not very accurate. He recommended we wait until at least a year old.

I guess the only reason I accept that he has HCM is the breeder dumping off pregnant females to the rescue. Why would any breeder just drop off mothers who are due any day?

Takes any dash of hope I have & it crushes it really....

If a cat already had HCM, and a substantial murmur to follow, the results should be diagnostic and not inaccurate.

You need to do your research on what can happen to HCM cats. Research "Saddle Thrombus", "Thromboembolism" and "Acute death, HCM" on google so you can be prepared for what can ensue. I hate it that you're having to go through this, but being prepared is simply the best way. Keep us posted!

ETA: It's also important to know that a single negative scan does not rule out HCM. For as long as he has a heart murmur (some are age related), it's important to have his scanned each year to determine if he has HCM. For those that have already been diagnosed, it's a good plan to continue doing this to determine how the heart is being affected.
 

doriansmomma

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Hey guys, THANK YOU for the kind words. And the words of encouragement! It is REALLY nice to hear from other's who have gone through HCM. To me, Dorian is my 3rd child & it scares the crap out of me to think he could just be gone.

Yesterday, I was NOT hopeful whatsoever. All I could think of was waking up with a stiff cat on my stomach. (Where he sleeps every night!) Can you imagine....

I just spoke to CVC they are a vet clinic a few towns over from me & they are going to have someone call me back to schedule the echo! As far as I am concerned, it is a $400 that is well spent.

Today I feel allot better, especially hearing medication is not only therapeutic in the condition, but there are cats that are 14 on them & alive & healthy!

I am doing my research now that I feel better. Last night I think the word death flashed before my eyes more then I could possibly stomach it on all of the websites I was on.

I am even more upset today with the breeder for not alerting the rescue. I left the rescue a message because Dorian has 2 sisters. Plus, I would like to know if the breeder told them about it & they just didn't tell me. Or if it really was the breeder.


And yes, I have 3 dogs! Thankfully healthy, but after what I will call this "mis-communication" that could have cost my cat his life, I hope I like the new vet!!

I will let you guys know once the test is scheduled with the new vet!

=) Heather
 

wundrlust

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Prior to having the Nude Boys I had numeous Ferrets and dogs. I swear God gave me the ones that had medical issues because he knew that I would love and care for them until there was no quality of life left. I had one ferret that lost the use of her hind legs all of a sudden. I found a wonderul man that made prostetics for humans. He had me bring Sweet Pea in to be fitted with an appliance that would enable her to drag her backside all over the house without hurting herself. She had her freedom back. I had spoke to the animal wheel chair people out west but they were unable to help. I had another Ferret that had a heart issue. We were able to rig her up with a child's oxygen tank and custom fit mask. I can go on and on. The point is.....no matter what, love that baby and do what ever you can to provide a wonderful quality life. Things might look bleek right now but there is always an upside which sometimes we have to find through our tears. I think everything happens for a reason which is to make us better at being human. Better days ahead!
 

heather

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Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better. That is good that you alerted the rescue. Best of luck with the new vet. Keep your spirits high for Dorian!
 

PitRottMommy

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It's not true that medication cannot help cats with HCM. My kitty Sydney has HCM, so my vet put her on 5 mg of benazepril every day. She's now doing fine and is at a ripe old age of 14 years old.

Totally agree. There is no way to FIX this affliction, but medications can slow the progression of the disease. And, like Sydkat mentioned, it can add YEARS to the expected life span of a cat...I've seen some cats living to their late teens still afflicted with HCM.

Veterinary Medicine is expanding and growing in ways we can only imagine.
 
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