poor Baldur

[cellio]

Yesterday Baldur suddenly became lethargic and uninterested in food (but was and is drinking water). He'd been fine Saturday, jumping into my lap and gobbling up food. Then, Sunday, nothing, and when I picked him up to put him in my lap he jumped right back down. I wondered if he'd had a stroke or heart attack; Dr. Google didn't seem to think so so I didn't go to an emergency vet last night, but today I took him to my vet's office. My vet wasn't in, but I saw another one in the practice who has seen Baldur before.

They took his blood pressure and the readings were astonishing; this high-blood-pressure kitty had below-average readings today. A chest X-ray showed pulmonary edema and pleural effusion -- fluid in the tissue of his lungs and in the chest cavity. (There was actually enough fluid that we couldn't see his heart.) The good news is that there are no tumors; the bad news is that, well, he's got fluid where it shouldn't be. Heart disease is a possible effect of hyperthyroidism (and old age). The tentative diagnosis is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Blood tests should tell us more tomorrow, including how his kidneys are doing.

So he's on some new medicines now, a heart medicine and a diuretic to try to draw out some of that fluid, and I'm pushing vitamins and watered-down food into him via syringe so he gets some nutrients. This vet didn't talk with me about prognosis; I assume my vet will.

I did ask the vet about the sudden onset, since it sounded like he was describing progressive diseases (and the net agreed when I got home and looked). He said that cats are really good at hiding problems until they become so overwhelming that they can't any more. So Baldur has probably been feeling unwell for some time (days? weeks? dunno), and I couldn't tell. Poor guy! I hope the meds help.

Comments

[indigodove.livejournal.com]

Poor kitty - and yes, they hide it well. Ella is starting to develop arthritis and we had no idea until the vet saw her.

Hope he feels better.

[cellio]

Aw, poor Ella! Can you do anything for the arthritis?

[indigodove.livejournal.com]

We have some vet-given natural remedies at this stage. It's just a matter of remembering to give her them (new habits take time) and getting Miss Sensitive and Finicky Ella to eat ALL of her food. I'm thinking this summer I may try building a new habit of feeding her privately again...but ugh, that's a pain. The good side is that it could be a lot worse.

[grouchyoldcoot.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry. I'm glad your elderly kitty has you around.

[starmalachite.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. Hugs to you both & scritches to Baldur.

[eub.livejournal.com]

Yikes, I hope they get the pulmonary edema under control. All best wishes to Baldur.

Our cat Narshie had HCM. It can cause embolisms from blood clots (http://www.manhattancats.com/Articles/Arterial_Thromboembolism.html), which is what happened to her. I hope it doesn't to Baldur, but if you feel you would like to process possibilities in advance, you may want to ask your vet about it (if he/she doesn't raise it already). How it would present, and what might happen then.

And also you might ask whether anybody has tried giving low-dose aspirin to cats with HCM to prevent clots before they show up with an embolism.

[eub.livejournal.com]

(I should emphasize, not all cats with HCM have clotting problems, at all. Just that it's not rare, either.)

[cellio]

Thanks for the information! I do prefer to pre-load information (while hoping I won't need it).

[alaricmacconnal.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry tomhear about Baldur ... hope he feels better!

[blackpaladin.livejournal.com]

I'm really sorry. Let's hope the meds help.

[hudebnik.livejournal.com]

Our dogs have frequently been stoics about serious problems (while being drama-queens about little things like nail-trimming). One can see the evolutionary advantage in "not showing weakness", but still, one wishes they would let one know earlier so one could do something about it.

[cellio]

(while being drama-queens about little things like nail-trimming)

Oh yes! You'd think I was drawing blood, from the yowling at clipping time!

[ralphmelton.livejournal.com]

Poor Baldur!

[dagonell.livejournal.com]

Oh ghods! I'm so sorry. When I started reading this, I thought it was his obituary you were writing. I'm glad he's still alive and I hope he responds well to medication. Yes, cats are extremely adept at hiding illness. I heard of one cat that went blind and the owner didn't realize it until she re-arranged the furniture.
-- Dagonell

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Poor kitty. *sends you both strength*

[dragonazure.livejournal.com]

Poor Baldur! Here's hoping he will be back to his old self soon!

[sambeth.livejournal.com]

Oh, I hope he feels better soon.

It was actually this post that inspired me to make a vet appointment for my cat, Strawberry - the bit about how cats are good at hiding problems. That's when I started to think she was maybe poorly, rather than just annoying, so thank you for that.

[cellio]

I hope Strawberry is ok.

[ironangel]

Poor kitty! I've noticed my own behaving a tad oddly lately, so we have to take him into the vet soon...as soon as I master the art of making sure it's HIS poop we're taking in :(

[chaos-wrangler.livejournal.com]

*hugs*