Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Our male cat is 14 years old and has a heart murmur. About 2 weeks ago we noticed he was drooling a bit and suspected he had a bad tooth. Vet did blood work (called geriatic panel) and all tests came back ok. and gave him some antibiotics and recommended an ultrasound because she is worried about him under anethesitc with the murmur and wants to check the heart. Problem is we are so reluctant to take him in again because he just gets so stressed (panting quivering etc.) that we held off on scheduling the ultrasound and wanted to see how the antibiotics went. Well, first week went ok as he seemed to perk up. But 2nd week he started throwing up a bit and also having very loose stools. Now the antibiotics are over and his stool was good yesterday but loose again today. He's eating pretty well and was fine last night but seems very lethargic today and zoned out. His eyes look glassy at times. He ate his breakfast this morning but has been sleeping all day and I'm very worried about him. Other things we've noticed lately is he has a little twitch or shudder in his face and whiskers now and then. He's done that before but we notice more lately. And he also went through a few days of washing his feet alot which seemed odd but that has subsided. Does any of this point to something? Our problem now is we know the vet will want to see him or get the utlrasound done but we just know how stressful it's going to be on him and we worry what might happen. Any thoughts or sggestions would be greatly apprecited! Thanks in advance.

First, feed the cat some plain yogurt at each meal to replace the bacteria in the digestive tract killed by the antibiotic. Ask the vet what she expects to find on the ultrasound, and how she would treat each of the probable findings. If she doesn't have a treatment for any of the probable findings that makes sense, then what good does it do to pinpoint the problem, especially when it would greatly stress out the cat. If she does have a good treatment for a suspected finding, which might be very dangerous if left untreated and would significantly add to the cat's life or well being through treatment, then do it. My point is that not everything that can be done must be done.

Dear Dr. Tobin,

Thank you for your reply. It is greatly appreciated. I agree with you whole heartedly when you say "not everything that can be done must be done". We have a holistic vet in our area that does hosecalls but unfortunately she is away until mid March. We plan to use her services in the future and hopefully for treatment once a diagnosis is made.

The vet is recommending the ultrasound to check the condition of his heart. She wants to get a good look at his teeth and gums etc., which would require anesthetic and hence the caution regarding his heart. We know his mouth is an issue (he's never had a cleaning or dental work done) and hate the thought of putting him through the stress but really don't see too much choice. We feel like we need at least find out what the problem is.

Today, thankfully, he is much brighter and happier although you can still tell his mouth is tender. He's eating but not a huge amount so hasn't had a b.m. yet today.

With regards to the ultrasound trip, is there anything you can recommend to give to help calm him?

Thank you again for taking the time to respond so promptly.