I got a medical question that is yet another example of the lack of constructive communication and trust that seems to exist between many people and their vets. Here is a situation where this cat owner does not have a clear idea of what her cat’s cardiac problem actually is — nor understand why she is medicating her kitty or what the intention of that medication is. All these issues should have been addressed to her vet and answered by the doctor. Instead, she is turning to me. I am honored to have her confidence but certainly cannot give her medical advice in this situation. The best advice I can think of is that she needs to interact more actively with her vet, or find one she feels more comfortable doing so with so she can be an informed partner in her cat’s health care. She wrote:
Last year my cat was diagnosed with heart disease. Since then we have been giving her a transdermal dose of Atenolol in her ears twice a day. (transdermally because pills and liquids were not going over well) We are due to see the heart specialist soon but at her annual check up, the vet said there was no change in her heart murmur.
My question is: do we continue this treatment if we’re not seeing any changes? The cats seems to be happy as always and hates the cream in her ears. My cat sitter doesn’t deal with it well and it’s certainly expensive. I want to do the right thing for my cat but it seems this treatment is more torture then benefit.
Your thoughts on heart disease and treatments are greatly appreciated.
There are a number of questions here: first of all, does your cat have heart disease and if so, what were you told it is? A heart murmur by itself is not a disease — it’s a defect — but there are illnesses which do cause heart problems. This is something your vet should have explained fully to you, or you needed to ask enough questions to feel you were on top of the diagnosis. As to the treatment, was it explained to you the function of the Atenolol you are giving? Did you ask your vet whether the use of the medication has kept the heart murmur from deteriorating? Is the cream doing nothing — or saving her life? Only the doctor can tell you that since s/he knows the severity of the murmur (many people and animals have minor heart murmurs which they live with, problem-free. And how long ago did you have this check up which discovered the problem? It sounds like it was quite some time ago, yet you are only now seeing a cardiologist — and I’m wondering why the delay? Last but not least, this is a great example of why pet insurance is so vitally important to protect you financially when there is costly medication and specialists. To learn more about Petplan — the company I just switched to because of their more reasonable rate and superior reimbursement and claim protocol — I urge you to go to my website TracieHotchner.com – and the website for my new radio show DogTalkandCatChat.com, on WOR in NYC. Unfortunately her heart condition will now not be covered because it is a “pre-existing condition,” but anything else will be reimbursed at 80% — or even 90% or 100%. Call Petplan at 866-467-3875 and ext 2411 is Fabrice. He will help you choose the best policy for you and let me know you’ve signed up because I am sending a donation to the Humane Society of the United States for every listener who signs up (and Petplan does the same!)
Tracie
