Poorly kitten.

[Elaina]

Hi all, I'm really sad. Poor Gabbi is only 6 months and has a series of issues. I actually think she had her cat flu symptoms from when we viewed and brought her home. She only sneezed once upon viewing so I assumed that is was nothing to worry about. I did view her on two occasions and she did seem fine but who knows, I had already fallen in love with her.

Her breathing when she is sedentary is awful, she doesn't sound healthy at all. It's like she doesn't have a clear airway. Third visit to the vets to double check it is viral and not bacterial and they still seem convinced it's viral despite the discharge coming out of her nose and abundance of sneezing.

Then she told me Gabbi had a heart murmur. I got really upset in front of the vet. She's already quite ill and now this too.. She listened three times but could still hear it. She's booked in next week to review the antibiotics and anti inflammatories to see if they have helped and mostly to double check to see if the murmur can be heard still. If it can still be heard then she will get heart scans. I'm terrified of her getting HCM.

I can't really even communicate with the breeder as she's Ukrainian and her English isn't great. I just feel like I've bought a really ill cat and she doesn't deserve this, she's truly wonderful, beautiful and loving. In the meantime I will be worried for next week and can only carry on making sure I do all I can to ensure she gets better.

Just thought I would post, you sphynx lovers understand.

 

[admin]

Hi all, I'm really sad. Poor Gabbi is only 6 months and has a series of issues. I actually think she had her cat flu symptoms from when we viewed and brought her home. She only sneezed once upon viewing so I assumed that is was nothing to worry about. I did view her on two occasions and she did seem fine but who knows, I had already fallen in love with her.

Her breathing when she is sedentary is awful, she doesn't sound healthy at all. It's like she doesn't have a clear airway. Third visit to the vets to double check it is viral and not bacterial and they still seem convinced it's viral despite the discharge coming out of her nose and abundance of sneezing.

Then she told me Gabbi had a heart murmur. I got really upset in front of the vet. She's already quite ill and now this too.. She listened three times but could still hear it. She's booked in next week to review the antibiotics and anti inflammatories to see if they have helped and mostly to double check to see if the murmur can be heard still. If it can still be heard then she will get heart scans. I'm terrified of her getting HCM.

I can't really even communicate with the breeder as she's Ukrainian and her English isn't great. I just feel like I've bought a really ill cat and she doesn't deserve this, she's truly wonderful, beautiful and loving. In the meantime I will be worried for next week and can only carry on making sure I do all I can to ensure she gets better.

Just thought I would post, you sphynx lovers understand.

It sounds like herpes perhaps, have you tried Lysine?

 

[Elaina]

The vet I saw before suggested it could be herpes. Gabbi has had the lysine paste whilst being very young with the breeder and she urged me to carry on when I took her home. So she's always had that, yeah. :/

 

[Hairless Blessing]

Oh, I pray your baby will get well. Hopefully, if it's anything with the
heart, it's just a murmur. Keep us updated about your baby.

 

[Catzzzmeow]

Any eye issues? Did vet run PCR test? We went through weeks of eye and nose issues and once a PCR test was done we found we had Chlamydia...treated it and done.
As scary as the murmur is the immediate relief is most likely getting rid of this respiratory issue first. Did vet tell you what stage murmur? We have an 11 year old boy who has had a stage 2 murmur since we got him. HCM scanning is usually done around 1 year of age as murmurs can disappear. So please feel free to share your findings and fears with us. You are not alone and there are many who can try to give advice that you can bounce off of your vet.


My vet treated with Doxycycline which can treat a very wide spectrum of issues.


Patti

 

[Elaina]

Hi Patti,
Eyes seem fine, maybe a little brown gunk but she's had that from the beginning. It's hard to know what is normal since I do not think she has ever been well. A PCR test was not done. I don't even think about that. I was so distraught there was something else wrong with her. If she shows no sign of improvement maybe I can suggest that.

That's reassuring to hear about your cat that has a heart murmur, certainly makes me feel more positive. Thank you.

 

[Yoda mom]

@Elaina ((hugs)) to you and Gabbi-
Agree with Patti about the murmurs going away -heck, my vet said it can sound off just from stress of the vet visit-
Many many kitties here like people have murmurs and live long happy lives-
I send healing hugs for baby Gabbi...
Sometimes it's a matter of finding the right. Combination of medications and things finally clear up-

Keep positive thoughts and know we are here for you and baby Gabbi!

Love to see more pics of pretty girl!

Ps: love her sweater!

 

[Ickushouse]

I have nothing to suggest but I'm praying you get an accurate diagnosis for your baby in order to give her what she needs. I can't imagine what you're going through. Please let us know how she's doing.

 

[1sphynxlover]

Sending thoughts and prayers to you and Gabbi. Hope the vet can come up with a treatment plan for Gabbi. Pinky has a heart murmer, it's not necessarily a death sentence. She's had it since birth, they keep an eye on it. She's a healthy, active and sometimes naughty sphynx. You wouldn't know there's anything wrong with her. Your right, Us sphynx moms, totally know where your coming from. I'm here for you and Gabbi, and I'm sending positive, healing thoughts to the both of you. Get better Gabbi!

 

[Elaina]

Thank you everyone. You are all so supportive and the advice is very much appreciated. Will let you know how the vets goes in a few days.

 

[Trisha]

Prayers to you guys!
My cat Tyler (not a Sphynx) had respiratory issues when he was a kitten. He could barely breathe and had tons of discharge from his nose and eyes. At the time I thought I might lose him, he was sick for a long while, but he pulled through and he's nearly 15 now! I believe it was feline herpes. He has snored loudly his whole life because of it, but other than that he's fine.
My Sphynx kitten Dexter was diagnosed with a heart murmur and I too freaked out in front of the vet. But after a lot of research and tons of reassurance from the awesome people in this forum, I calmed down. Dexter had his follow-up last weekend and the vet said she could hardly hear the murmur!
There is hope that everything will be ok HUGS!

 

[Elaina]

Hi all,

Gabbi went back to the vets today. Two out of three vets could hear the heart murmur, it's apparently faint. The vet recommended it would be a good idea for her to have a echocardiogram. I've read that they shouldn't really get tested until they are a year old. She's been booked in for the 13th November. I feel like for peace of mind I need to know whether it is just a heart murmur and not possibly something more like HCM.

Would proceeding with the tests be the right thing to do?

 

[Catzzzmeow]

Vets can hear slight murmurs when cats are very nervous. Did your vet say anything about a stress murmur as a possibility? I am the one that always says trust your gut. Might ask the vet what stage the murmur is.

Patti

 

[Elaina]

She did say stress from the vets can make things seem what they are not. So we had the appointment today which was a week ago to see if it could still be heard. When we went last time she said its faint hence why it's likely the last two vet visits it had not been heard before. I can only assume it's a low grade heart murmur.

 

[Gryffindor]

Has your vet tried to run a course of antibiotics? Our Draco had terrible respiratory issues when he was younger, sneezing and leaving discharge all over and did not breathe well at all. He didn't really exhibit signs of it when we brought him home, but it was full blown a few months in. We felt horrible. All tests came back negative. Our vet went with the usual amoxicillin course, which did absolutely nothing....She swore it would work and kept him on it. It wasn't until I did some research online, consulted some friends (out of state and in the veterinary field) and suggested the use of azithromycin that we made some headway. Once he was put on that, the respiratory was gone in a week.

Being that it went away so quickly, I asked my vet as to why she didn't suggest it as they do have it on hand. Her answer was that people always want to go with the cheapest course possible and that the one I suggested was rather expensive comparably. Lets just say that now she knows where my wife and I stand with our pets and helping with their suffering, lol.

I, by no means am a vet and am not saying that this will work for you, but figured I'd share my story in hopes of helping. Best of luck.

 

[Elaina]

Thank you. She's been on antibiotics for a while now, a few weeks. Her breathing has got better but now it's the new issue of a heart murmur I am worrying about..

 

[assibassi]

Hope your Baby will get better soon and the Echogram will go good for your baby and you.

 

[nudebea]

Just read your post. Keep us up to date and try not to worry too much . Hope all goes well for you on the 13 th x

 

[Gryffindor]

Thank you. She's been on antibiotics for a while now, a few weeks. Her breathing has got better but now it's the new issue of a heart murmur I am worrying about..

Glad the breathing is better. Best of luck with the appointment!

 

[Ickushouse]

Sending well wishes for your baby.

 

[Hairless Blessing]

Sending prayers for your baby on the 13th. Be sure to let us know
what you find out.

 

[Elaina]

After an extremely long day I have Gabbi's results! Turns out another cat was extremely ill, so my 8:30am appointment ended up being at 6:40pm. I got so anxious I waited the last three hours at the vets..

Diagnosis is that the heart murmur is a grade one. They noticed on her scan that the left side of the heart valve is allowing blood to pass through the heart valve door. This could either stay the same so she leads a normal life or result later down the line with her heart becoming enlarged/heart failure.

She's going back in 6 months time for a checkup. In all honesty it is just a relief to know what's going on and to know what it is. Just thought I would let you know as so many of you were so sweet to me.

 

[Catzzzmeow]

For now let's take it as good news At least you can breathe a bit easier having some answers.


Patti

 

[Hairless Blessing]

There have been many sphynx live a long good life with a heart murmur.
Sometimes even if they take medicine. Sure hope this will be the case
for you.

 

[nudebea]

Enjoy each day as it comes now you have some answers . Try not to worry about what might happen in the future as it could distract from enjoying the here and now. After all the future doesn't exist yet {unless your Dr Who !} x