Due to Shea’s heart condition, he is schedule for bi-annual echocardiagrams (ECG). He had his first recheck since his diagnosis a week ago.
As you likely know, an ECG is an examination of he heart by a radiologist using ultrasound. It is the gold standard for diagnosis of heart disease and has three great properties:
- It is non-invasive.
- It is painless.
- It requires the patient to only be semi-passive (as opposed to very still, for an x-ray).
This is great, but the advantages are often mitigated for feral cats who are too scared to be handled without distress. Fortunately, Shea has come a long way since his arrival, and he is now relatively comfortable with handling.
This is important, since the most recent ECG showed that his heart disease had progressed and he now requires daily medication. The progression is mild, and the medication helps to reduce the workload on his heart.
Heart disease in cats has a very uncertain course. The disease progression can halt, or it can worsen slowly, or (in rare cases) worsen suddenly. We will know more after Shea’s next ECG, six months from now. Meanwhile, Shea shows no symptoms of his disease (common in cats) and is happy as a clam.
Your correspondent,
Jonathan