Cat with heart failure and fluid in lungs?

[househunter]

Anyone have a cat with heart problems? My boy is 3 and started vomiting. I took him to the vet and he was diagnosed with a murmur, congestive heart failure and fluid in the lungs. He is on meds now but I am beside myself. The vet didn't indicate life expectancy, but what I've read doesnt sound good. Any experience with this?

[katietornado]

Oh my! That sounds terrible. First, what diagnostic tests were performed? Our vet began to suspect congestive heart failure in our 12-year-old cat because he was always wheezy / congested, and he was having coughing fits. The vet required bloodwork, x-ray, EKG, more bloodwork, and a diuretic trial to finally decide that he probably doesn't have congestive heart failure. Did you do all these things? Have you seen a veterinary cardiologist?

If it is heart failure, it's not a death sentence (even though it very much sounds like one). I know cats who have lived 5+ years with congestive heart failure (only 5+ because they were older when they were diagnosed). Diuretics work wonders and will do a lot toward his quality and length of life. ACE inhibitors will also improve his heart's efficiency at pumping blood.

Hang in there. It's not the end of the world, and your little guy is lucky to have you going to bat for him. If you have the ability, see a feline cardiologist to get a good idea of how things look, what the underlying cause is, and what the best path forward is. If it truly is CHF, your cat may have many years ahead of him.

Good luck, and let me know how it goes.