# Spaying with a Heart Murmur



## K337 (May 20, 2011)

Was hoping people could advise as to what risk is possible when spaying a cat with a heart murmur?

Sybil (Selkirk Rex) joined us two weeks ago and we took her to the vets to register her and organise a spay. We mentioned she was 5 months and the vet advised waiting another month to see if her heart murmur would get any better. She did not mention severity but said if it doesn't improve we can consider a heart scan prior to the op and that she would be looked at by the head of the practice.

Since then we've been in touch with the breeder and realised we misinformed the vet and she is actually 7 months, more like 7.5 now. We have asked permission to wait a few more weeks to give her the chance to settle and then spay.

I haven't seen the signs of her being in a full call, although she was raising her rear when patted - no other indications, although I'm not an expert. She is still quite small at 2.5kgs but she was weaned early. We have two neutered males so no risk there and there will be no harness training or backyard walks for any of the cats until she is spayed.

Will call the vet for more information (murmur grade, risks etc) this weekend and bring Sybil down sooner if she thinks it's best. Just wanted to canvas a wider audience to see what is the general recommended approach.


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## McSquirtle (Jan 13, 2012)

Spaying with a heart murmur tends to just involve more in depth monitoring and tests prior to the anaesthetic if required. Different sedative drugs may also be used to support the heart.
The vet will be able to tell you the grade of the heart murmur and can advise you from there. With patients with heart problems the vet will tend to get the procedure over as quickly as possible and lots of careful monitoring throughout and during recovery. If its a minor murmur the risk is significantly lower.


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## Ianthi (Oct 21, 2008)

I would be totally guided by your vet here and I applaud their cautionary approach by investigating the cause of a peristent murmur. I would certainly wish to know this. 

Hopefully it's one of those that resolves ( anaemia for instance ) or a very low-grade one. I have a cat with one of these whose undergone surgery with no ill-effects.


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## K337 (May 20, 2011)

Thanks both. I'll be in touch with my vet this weekend and plan out a course of action from there. Will update with some more info about the little lady once we have it


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## colliemerles (Nov 2, 2007)

_fingers crossed that she is well enough to have her spay,i remember my vet phoning me the morning Dizzy went for her spay, he said they picked up a mumur,and did i still want to go ahead with the spay, i did, but it was a very worrying wait, but thankfully she was fine,i cant remember what he said hers was,i think it was a 3 ??_


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Minnii has HCM and was neutered after diagnosis with the top grade heart murmur (6?) we had to wait until she was out of call and then go for it - it would have been worse for her to keep calling the risks were greater than dieing on the table - but we just had to cross our fingers and hope. She took a long time to come round afterwards but is still here and happy.


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## K337 (May 20, 2011)

Thanks all  Good to know that others have been in the same situation and the safe option is still to spay.

I took Sybil to the vets again today as she has started her first call.
She was originally identified as a Grade 2 murmur and our regular vet had a listen today and said she would be tossing up between Grade 2 and Grade 1. So either she has gotten better or she was very low on the Grade 2 scale of things originally.

An ultrasound has been organised for Thursday. Depending on the results she will be spayed that day (and microchipped) or we will investigate further. The ultrasound is at another surgery but our vet will be travelling with her as she wants to get a good look.

One more question from my OH, which I forgot to ask the vet, is do they shave cats for an ultrasound? I know she will have a shaved patch if she has her spay but the thought of all those beautiful curls missing :crying:


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

yes they do shave for the ultra sound - she will have a bare chest to quite a way down her tummy.


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## K337 (May 20, 2011)

Well we starved her and packed her off to the vet this morning. Now at work, eagerly awaiting the results of the ultrasound.

Poor little girl is going to look quite odd, a mix of bald patches and curls but hopefully be OK :blush:


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## K337 (May 20, 2011)

Good news is that her heart is fine. She has been spayed and chipped and I pick her up at 5  Should get more info from the vet then too...


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## K337 (May 20, 2011)

Vet went through the four pictures from the ultrasound with me and I'm pleased to say there are no structural defects. In fact her heart actually looks very nice and the ratios of the different chambers are quite good. I've updated her breeder who will be quite relieved.

We are going to be keeping a close eye on her and if her murmur worsens we may retake the ultrasound for comparison. But for now I'm just really pleased that it doesn't seem too serious. I have a murmur myself so Sybil and I match 

She is being really good with her sutures from the spay as well, barely giving them any attention


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

That's good news


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