ama89
Lairian
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2013
- Messages
- 57
- Points
- 44
Hi everyone, it has been a long time since I have been active on this forum, although I signed up many years ago after adopting my three sphynx boys.
Sadly, this past weekend has been quite awful. Last week, I noticed one of my boys coughing more often than usual - something I had seen him do occasionally in the past but hadn't thought alot of.
I noticed that one day, he coughed and then his breathing sounded a bit congested. So I took him to the vet the next day for a check up. They couldn't hear any fluid in his lungs, and suggested that he may have been asthmatic. They gave him a cortisone shot, and suggested that I bought a pediatric mask and spacer and give him ventolin if he is having a coughing attack. My vet said that the cortisone should stop any more attacks for a week, and if they started again after that we would know that it was asthma.
The following day I was watching TV, when Judge started coughing again. It wasn't a long cough but afterwards I noticed the fluidy crackle sound again. I attempted to give him some ventolin through the spacer, but it didn't help at all - and if anything it just stressed him out more. Afterwards, we snuggled on the couch as I monitored his breathing. I timed that he was breathing more than 100 tiny breaths per minute, and I made the decision to call the emergency after hours Vet.
When I got there, the Vet said he was in a bad way and really struggling to breathe. He agreed that it was heart related, but didn’t perform any Xrays or Ultrasounds as they did not want to stress him out, for fears he could have died at any moment. They gave him some medication and we put him straight into an oxygen chamber. This was three days ago. This morning, he was able to come out of the oxygen chamber, and at last I spoke to the vet he was doing well with his breathing outside the Chamber. They are going to attempt to perform an ultrasound today. I believe the cortisone is likely what tipped him over the edge, which is really unfortunate.
I just wanted to know if anyone has had a similar experience to me. I have a friend who also had a cat with HCM, and he passed away after just 3 months on medication. It’s really hard to find any good news stories – but I’ve found so many stories of people losing their cats within a short period of diagnosis.
My biggest fear is losing him, and I know that it is probably inevitable now that it will be sooner, rather than later. The vet did say that he has improved quote a bit, which is hopefully an indication that the medication is going it’s job.
I just wanted to share this story, because it’s all I can think about at the moment, and I’m struggling to focus on anything else. I just want my boy home, but I’m so scared of him suffering, or having a blood clot or a heart attack.
Sadly, this past weekend has been quite awful. Last week, I noticed one of my boys coughing more often than usual - something I had seen him do occasionally in the past but hadn't thought alot of.
I noticed that one day, he coughed and then his breathing sounded a bit congested. So I took him to the vet the next day for a check up. They couldn't hear any fluid in his lungs, and suggested that he may have been asthmatic. They gave him a cortisone shot, and suggested that I bought a pediatric mask and spacer and give him ventolin if he is having a coughing attack. My vet said that the cortisone should stop any more attacks for a week, and if they started again after that we would know that it was asthma.
The following day I was watching TV, when Judge started coughing again. It wasn't a long cough but afterwards I noticed the fluidy crackle sound again. I attempted to give him some ventolin through the spacer, but it didn't help at all - and if anything it just stressed him out more. Afterwards, we snuggled on the couch as I monitored his breathing. I timed that he was breathing more than 100 tiny breaths per minute, and I made the decision to call the emergency after hours Vet.
When I got there, the Vet said he was in a bad way and really struggling to breathe. He agreed that it was heart related, but didn’t perform any Xrays or Ultrasounds as they did not want to stress him out, for fears he could have died at any moment. They gave him some medication and we put him straight into an oxygen chamber. This was three days ago. This morning, he was able to come out of the oxygen chamber, and at last I spoke to the vet he was doing well with his breathing outside the Chamber. They are going to attempt to perform an ultrasound today. I believe the cortisone is likely what tipped him over the edge, which is really unfortunate.
I just wanted to know if anyone has had a similar experience to me. I have a friend who also had a cat with HCM, and he passed away after just 3 months on medication. It’s really hard to find any good news stories – but I’ve found so many stories of people losing their cats within a short period of diagnosis.
My biggest fear is losing him, and I know that it is probably inevitable now that it will be sooner, rather than later. The vet did say that he has improved quote a bit, which is hopefully an indication that the medication is going it’s job.
I just wanted to share this story, because it’s all I can think about at the moment, and I’m struggling to focus on anything else. I just want my boy home, but I’m so scared of him suffering, or having a blood clot or a heart attack.