When to euthanize cats with congestive heart failure

When to euthanize cats with congestive heart failure

When we welcome our feline friends into our homes, they become more than just animals or pets, they become part of our family. While we want the best for our families, we also strive to provide the best for our furry friends.

It’s also why we worry about our cats when they’re sick or just feeling a little sick. Ultimately, when we say goodbye to our cats, it will be quite an ordeal. I can’t stop thinking about it, but let’s talk about congestive heart failure in cats and when to euthanize

What is congestive heart failure in felines?

Deciding whether or not to euthanize our cats is a difficult decision when we see our cats go through so much pain. Hopefully, as you read on, you’ll be able to make the best decision for you and your cat.

This is a very general term for feline congestive heart failure, which occurs when your cat’s heart is unable to pump the necessary amount of blood to her body, causing fluid to build up in her lungs. This is a condition that knows no age, gender, or race. Although, it is clear that middle-aged and older cats are more susceptible to this condition.

When cats have congestive heart failure, they may display the following symptoms:

1. difficulty breathing – Monitor your cat for difficulty breathing. Note whether your cat is breathing rapidly or very slowly.
2. lethargy – Look for signs that your cat doesn’t seem to want to play, eat or do anything.
3. loss of appetite – In addition to other symptoms, loss of appetite can be a sign that something is wrong with your cat
4. blue/gray gums or tongue – Monitor your pet’s oral status frequently
5. collapse – If it occurs, consult your veterinarian immediately
6. hindlimb paralysis – This condition is also often associated with congestive heart failure

why does it happen to cats

Congestive heart failure in cats occurs in the setting of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or a thickening of the walls of the cat’s heart. Once this happens, your cat’s heart can no longer stretch to its maximum capacity to supply the body with blood. Sometimes it can also be attributed to thyroid disease, high blood pressure, and the presence of heredity and genes. This can be caused by a failure on the left, right, or both sides of the cat’s heart.

How is congestive heart failure diagnosed?

A battery of tests is required to make a diagnosis. These tests include an electrocardiogram, an echocardiogram to assess the structure and function of the cat’s heart, blood and urine tests: including thyroid hormone tests, CBC count, biochemical tests, heartworm tests, FeLV/IVF tests and urinalysis, blood pressure measurements, and a chest X-ray of the heart, blood vessels, and lungs (that’s a lot of X-rays, but there are plenty of affordable X-rays for cats).

When do we release our cats?

Here are some suggestions that we hope will help you decide:

• consultation – You go to almost all veterinarians and most advise you that this is the best for your cat
• pain – Seeing our cats suffer makes us suffer even more! It’s really hard. Looking at them, I can kind of know that they’re in great pain. It gets to the point where we wish we could just take the pain away.
• financial “Unfortunately, there is this factor. It may not look pretty, but it is reality. We also have to consider our financial situation if we can still keep and provide medicine for our cats.
• Health condition – In addition to the pain, your cat’s condition may worsen, it may even cause more pain.

Remember that all the data presented here is just a compilation of information from the internet, be careful when using it. Always consult an expert before making a decision about the health of your pets.