Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: miriambuddy on September 22, 2009, 23:50:43 PM
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My friend is a new cat owner of about a year and one of her cats has just been put on beta blockers for a poorly heart (he's about 18 months old).
Is there anything I can recommend to her in helping him? Thanks in advance for the wisdom.
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No advice Miriam from me as I only know them for humans and stress in cats, Im sure someone else will give you some tips though....Best of luck for your friend and her babe! :hug:
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I never heard of Beta Blockers being used for cats, what about speaking to your vet about Fortekor? That is a heart med. I know dogs can have Vetmedin too but not sure if it is used for cats.
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I am surprised at that too, I have only ever heard Fortekor and Diuretics used for heart issues - what exactly is his condition?
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Mm, I initially thought that strange too, Pep is on Fortekor for his heart although humans take beta blockers for heart if fast or irregular I took them initially when my thyroid was hyper so maybe cats are given them for similar I suppose the vet will have their reasons?
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our bluto took some kind of beta blockers but I'm going back a few years now, I can't remember the name but it began with A, they were human tabs that we had to cut into four - sorry not much help! they were for a heart murmer
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Not heard of Beta Blockers for cats. I know Sharon's Bella is on heart tablets but not sure what they are. Just a reminder for anyone offered Fortekor to ask the vet about Benazecare as it is the same drug but 1/2 the price and 1/4 the size :)
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Not heard of Beta Blockers for cats. I know Sharon's Bella is on heart tablets but not sure what they are. Just a reminder for anyone offered Fortekor to ask the vet about Benazecare as it is the same drug but 1/2 the price and 1/4 the size :)
I will ask about that when I go to the vets shortly, thanks Mark ;)
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Not heard of Beta Blockers for cats. I know Sharon's Bella is on heart tablets but not sure what they are. Just a reminder for anyone offered Fortekor to ask the vet about Benazecare as it is the same drug but 1/2 the price and 1/4 the size :)
I will ask about that when I go to the vets shortly, thanks Mark ;)
The are made by (or rather probably for) Animalcare Ltd in case they haven't heard of them http://www.animalcare.co.uk/
I was charged £23.08 for 28 x 5mg (56 doses) - they come 14 in a box.
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Thanks everyone, they are being giving for a heart murmer found via an ultra sound but I don't know which brand she has been given.
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Not heard of Beta Blockers for cats. I know Sharon's Bella is on heart tablets but not sure what they are. Just a reminder for anyone offered Fortekor to ask the vet about Benazecare as it is the same drug but 1/2 the price and 1/4 the size :)
I will ask about that when I go to the vets shortly, thanks Mark ;)
The are made by (or rather probably for) Animalcare Ltd in case they haven't heard of them http://www.animalcare.co.uk/
I was charged £23.08 for 28 x 5mg (56 doses) - they come 14 in a box.
I guess you didn't buy through vet Mark? I asked my vet and she said they are same but they don't sell them - something to do with cascade? and rules etc, Fortekor is always given first, can use Benazecare but has to be proven that Fortekor aren't suitable and has to go through system etc. She more or less said it is daft really because they are the same.
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our bluto took some kind of beta blockers but I'm going back a few years now, I can't remember the name but it began with A, they were human tabs that we had to cut into four - sorry not much help! they were for a heart murmer
Atenolol I expect - a very widely prescribed beta blocker for hypertension - slows the heart rate
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yes that was it!
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TabbyFur was on beta blockers for a heart condition during the brief time that she was with us :( That was in 1999.
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Not heard of Beta Blockers for cats. I know Sharon's Bella is on heart tablets but not sure what they are. Just a reminder for anyone offered Fortekor to ask the vet about Benazecare as it is the same drug but 1/2 the price and 1/4 the size :)
I will ask about that when I go to the vets shortly, thanks Mark ;)
The are made by (or rather probably for) Animalcare Ltd in case they haven't heard of them http://www.animalcare.co.uk/
I was charged £23.08 for 28 x 5mg (56 doses) - they come 14 in a box.
I guess you didn't buy through vet Mark? I asked my vet and she said they are same but they don't sell them - something to do with cascade? and rules etc, Fortekor is always given first, can use Benazecare but has to be proven that Fortekor aren't suitable and has to go through system etc. She more or less said it is daft really because they are the same.
Odd that my vet can get them so easily. They have only just come out and it is only in the last couple of months that benazecare (and other generic versions) has been approved for cats so I think your vet's info is out of date. The last time I just phoned up and the receptionist order them for me.
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our bluto took some kind of beta blockers but I'm going back a few years now, I can't remember the name but it began with A, they were human tabs that we had to cut into four - sorry not much help! they were for a heart murmer
Atenolol I expect - a very widely prescribed beta blocker for hypertension - slows the heart rate
George is on Atenolol for his heart condition - he has Tetralogy of Fallot, which is four major problems with his heart. He has to have 0.01ml daily and a 1/4 of a 75mg aspirin every third day. The main thing with him is has to be kept calm, not get over-excited and be as stress free as possible. It is not known how long a life he will have but he has passed his 4th birthday which is more than I imagined.
He is very good with his medicine. I put it on a piece of chicken and the small piece of tablet hidden in another piece and he just gobbles them right up.
He had to be neutered at about 8 months which was a major worry - but he was put on oxygen before the op, I was with him through the whole op, which with pre-med took about 2 minutes!!!! and he was put on oxygen afterwards.
He is a wonderful cat and unless you are told about his heart condition, he rarely shows signs unless he gets too playful and then he can start having breathing problems and pants and we have to make him calm down.
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I remember George! Bluto was a doddle to pill, not sure I'd fancy having to do it with my current lot - still bleeding from the milbemax on sunday!
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Not heard of Beta Blockers for cats. I know Sharon's Bella is on heart tablets but not sure what they are. Just a reminder for anyone offered Fortekor to ask the vet about Benazecare as it is the same drug but 1/2 the price and 1/4 the size :)
I will ask about that when I go to the vets shortly, thanks Mark ;)
The are made by (or rather probably for) Animalcare Ltd in case they haven't heard of them http://www.animalcare.co.uk/
I was charged £23.08 for 28 x 5mg (56 doses) - they come 14 in a box.
I guess you didn't buy through vet Mark? I asked my vet and she said they are same but they don't sell them - something to do with cascade? and rules etc, Fortekor is always given first, can use Benazecare but has to be proven that Fortekor aren't suitable and has to go through system etc. She more or less said it is daft really because they are the same.
Odd that my vet can get them so easily. They have only just come out and it is only in the last couple of months that benazecare (and other generic versions) has been approved for cats so I think your vet's info is out of date. The last time I just phoned up and the receptionist order them for me.
uhm, it is odd that, unless as you say my vet doesn't know it has been approved although you'd think they would all be informed?
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My cat Colin was diagnosed with a heart murmur aged 2. I took him to see a cardiologist for specialist advice.
Colin had a good look around, then lept onto the top of his bookcase unaided! He said he had never seen one do that before (why do I hear that so often about one of my lot? :rofl:)
After loads of tests he felt that although Colin did have a heart prob - cardiomyopathy - but it was fine to forget about it for now. It was more likely congential, and would probably only cause him a problem when he got older. He did say he used to use beta blockers for this in the past, but there was no evidence they did any good so he had stopped prescribing them unless the cat was very bad, which Colin wasnt.
Colin is now 5, and you wouldnt know there was anything wrong with him. The thought of daily meds would fill me with dread at the mo, as he is a real outdoors type and a devil even to worm! He`s curled up with the dog at the mo on the sofa as if butter woudnt melt. He is one mean hunter outdoors.
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Thanks for telling Colin's story, I'll tell my friend all about him and how happy he lives with his condition
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My Sam has HCM, he's nearly 12, diagnosed just over a year ago. He's on fortekor, diuretics and rutin. He was very poorly when diagnosed, and had to have fluid drained off his chest, but he's been doing well (he has off days, but they are few and far between now, thank goodness). He's very good with his meds, he just has them in either cheese, chicken or webbox and thinks he's getting a treat! :Luv:
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Did they say what grade heart murmur it was - normally murmurs dont need meds, unless they are very severe, and are just checked instead.
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Did they say what grade heart murmur it was - normally murmurs dont need meds, unless they are very severe, and are just checked instead.
I wondered that too, our Squeaky had a heart murmer all his life and never had treatment, I guess some may need treating and others not?