Well, I took Jasper today to my vet for his health clearance and my vet detected a heart murmur. She also noticed that he is very pot bellied and thin and thought that he may have worms which could lead to a murmur. She dewormed him and I brought in a stool sample, but it didn't show any signs of eggs. I brought him to the vet for his guarantee which states that if my vet finds anything wrong she will give me my money back in exchange for the kitten. What should I do? Anyone who has experienced something similar, I would appreciate some advice please.
Ruthann, both my babies (Gilbert and Gabriel) had heart murmurs when I took them for their first health check, but both of them are okay now. Did you get 6 weeks free insurance with him (it's a thing most breeders do over here) because you could get more definative tests done to see how serious the murmur is and the insurance will pay for it. If not I wonder if the breeder will pay for the tests to get done, I know you've probably fallen for him hook, line and sinker so it's not so easy handing him back. I would ring the vets he had his vaccinations from and ask if they detected a heart murmur, just to so you know wether his breeder knew or not! Hope this helps and sorry to hear about this I know it's so worrying but as I say both my little ones' went away.
Good luck x
aww I so sorry to hear that he's ill.He is so cute.
I think the vet gives them grades or levels 1 or2 or 3
But I'm not sure.Did your vet think he could out grow it?
If not worms then why the potbelly?
I'm sorry I'm not much help here.
I'm sure someone with more experience will comment.
I;m going to follow this thread.
I do have a question hope you don't mind
But if breeder took the kitten to the vet won't the heart mummer show up then?Or did she not take him to the vet before you recived him.
Just a thought.
Hi Ruthann- I know that many kittens who have heart murmers do manage to grow out of these in time. I would have thought the breeder would have mentioned that Jasper had a murmer at the time you showed interest, or at the very least when you bought him. I am sure that you will also receive other peoples views on this here too. All the best as Jasper does look a little darling.
Soft infantile benign murmurs are common in kittens - and they can come and go. (I am assuming this is what the vet thinks it is based on loudness and quality of the murmur.) Typically, one would recheck after the passage of some months and expect it to be gone in about six months to a year. You need a diagnosis on the distended abdomen to know what, if anything, it means. (Ragdolls have a prominent pad of fat on the stomach - the greater omentum - that is a breed characteristic and confuses some vets for overweight, although I do not recall it being confused with bloat.)
I would let the breeder know of the findings and make sure you are given (extra?) time for the vet, you, the breeder and the breeder's vet to discover what, if anything, is amiss. I would not expect a problem from either observation, but it is too early to know.
Thank you everyone. I think the vet felt that with the pot belly he might have worms. Can you still have them if you don't show any eggs in the stool? I think the vet was leaning towards thinking it would resolve, but of course knowing that I had a week to return him, she didn't want to steer me the same way. I was wondering if my vet would call the other vet as it is in a neighbouring town. Just to find out if the breeder knew of course. But ultimately....what am I going to do with this kitten? Give him back? What happens to him then, especially if he is to grow out of it. I think you know what my answer is here. My vet also told me of a cat she had that was diagnosed as a kitten with hcm and lived to be 12 until it became a problem. I will keep you posted.
The parents should have been tested for the two known HCM mutations and should not have them, so the risk of that should be low. You can confirm the status with the breeder. However, a murmur may or may not be present with HCM and there is no reason to assume HCM is much of a risk in a soft murmur in a kitten - although obviously a murmur should be followed. You should not assume that the contract remedy is the only approach to such issues. It may be just the minimum commitment. You need your vet's advice on the seriousness of the two findings and then need to discuss with the breeder your options going forward. Only then can you decide what to do. A distended abdomen can be minor or a big deal. In terms of worms, the treatment for them really has no down side and, if they are suspected, then probably the vet should just treat for them. Even if bloat, it may just be GI upset from the move of homes. Have you noticed loose stool, constipation or gassiness?
Based on what you have posted so far, I would not be interested in returning a kitten.
JanH Wrote:The parents should have been tested for the two known HCM mutations and should not have them, so the risk of that should be low. You can confirm the status with the breeder. However, a murmur may or may not be present with HCM and there is no reason to assume HCM is much of a risk in a soft murmur in a kitten - although obviously a murmur should be followed. You should not assume that the contract remedy is the only approach to such issues. It may be just the minimum commitment. You need your vet's advice on the seriousness of the two findings and then need to discuss with the breeder your options going forward. Only then can you decide what to do. A distended abdomen can be minor or a big deal. In terms of worms, the treatment for them really has no down side and, if they are suspected, then probably the vet should just treat for them. Even if bloat, it may just be GI upset from the move of homes. Have you noticed loose stool, constipation or gassiness?
Based on what you have posted so far, I would not be interested in returning a kitten.
Thanks Jan. He has been having normal bowel movements and I noticed his tummy was rounded when I got him. If he had worms it would certainly explain why is was so thin. The vet said we would check him out again in a couple of weeks to see if it had resolved.
If the vet is concerned about the possibility of fluid in the body cavity, then most definitely an x-ray should be taken to find out - and the sooner the better.