Has anyone had any experience of Mitral Valve Dysplasia?
When my cat, Hugo, was about 8 months old, I noticed that sometimes he would breathe very quickly and with a strange rhythm. Sometimes his normally pink nose would turn white. I took him to the vets and was told he may have cat asthma and that was that, just keep an eye on him..... sent us home. This didn't sit well with me, I knew my boy and I knew it was more than that. I had heard from friends about a really good local vet so decided to get a second opinion. She really listened to my concerns and following blood tests and then an ultrasound I was told he has Mitral Valve Dysplasia.
This was dreadful news
My little boy could only be treated palliatively, there is no cure. Due to genetics, the mitral valve in his heart has not developed properly and occasionally sticks, allowing a small amount of blood back through.
After consulting a cardiologist, my vet suggested we try Atenolol. After starting on a very low dose and working up to the level that works well for Hugo, he is now on 3/4 of a 25mg tablet in the morning and the same at night.
This has decreased his blood pressure and slowed his heart, which will hopefully give him more time to enjoy his life. He began this treatment in August 2011 and so far he is eating well, flies round the house and outdoor play area like a maniac with his posh Persian rescue brother and is a very happy, affectionate little boy.
My vet said Hugo was the first cat she had come across with this problem, although I've since read that this is quite a common problem in cats. The feline cardiologist who advised my vet says some cats do very well on Atenolol but others do not. Hugo has been very lucky to get this extra time as without it, his outlook was hopeless. We don't know how long this will continue though - it could be a week, 6 months, 4 years.... who knows. What we do know is all of his symptoms will return, plus some extra ones and then we'll know that due to the extra strain his heart is under due to the mitral valve, his heart wall will enlarge and thicken and we will be heading into heart failure territory. Hard decision time.
I just wondered if anybody has had experience of this problem before? How old was the cat when it was diagnosed and how much time their cat had before the quality of their life was compromised?
In the meantime, we're enjoying the company of our littler ginger and white boy with the big personality.