Is it safe for my cat with a heart murmur to run, play, and be active?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. When cats pant or breathe with their mouths open, this is abnormal and concerning. Given the information you provided about the Merlin's heart murmur, I am worries that he could have significant enough heart disease to cause heart failure, which leads to the build up of fluid in the lungs. This makes it very difficult for cats to breathe, especially after exertion, and can be life-threatening. Alternatively, cats can pant when they are severely overheated, which is also very dangerous. I would recommend keeping Merlin quiet (no running or playing) until he can be seen by a veterinarian. He/she will want to do a full physical exam and take x-rays of Merlin's chest to look for heart enlargement and/or fluid in the lungs. There is a blood test available called an NT-proBNP that can detect heart failure in cats as well. I hope this information is helpful!

Hi there. If Theodore is acting normal, you shouldn't need to change anything about his normal daily routine or activities. A heart murmur doesn't necessarily mean that there is anything actually wrong with his heart, and many types of heart disease do not require exercise restriction regardless. So I wouldn't get too concerned or change anything major unless your veterinarian confirms there is an actual problem, via chest x-rays and ultrasound of his heart.

I hate to hear this is happening to Kovu. Yes, I would say this could be medically related if he feels tired or just not himself. Make sure to bring this up at your next veterinary visit. make sure Kovu has lots of down time as well to rest. Lastly, here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser, set aside 30 minutes a day for attention for Kovu and/or ask your vet about switching the food to Royal Canin Calm. Most cats response best to combination therapy. The veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help with stress if really needed. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach to address your concern. Restricting activity completely is something I only recommend if the dog is severely affected by the heart disease. Regular mild to moderate exercise it actually thought to be beneficial for dogs that have only mild signs or symptoms of heart disease. I think it is ok for you to take Odin on walks and let him run for short periods of time. If you notice he is tired or breathing heavier, stop exercising him and allow him to rest. If he develops signs of severe heart failure, then exercise could potentially push his heart into cardiac arrest and he could pass away from over exercising. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Louie and Ozzy! I don't think vaccines will hurt their heart disease. But I would go over the pros and cons of vaccinating vs not vaccinating. For example if both are indoor cats and you aren't planning on getting any new cats then their risk is small. Rabies is required by law. I would recommend cardiology consults and echocardiograms so you have a diagnosis and medications can be started if needed. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best!

Sorry to hear Valak seems to have problems when playing. I would recommend taking him in to your veterinarian to have his heart and lungs checked. Some young cats can have an underlying congenital heart or lung problem that can lead to exercise intolerance. We also can see cats develop asthma and present like this too, so he may need x-rays of his chest to see how his lungs look and possibly need medication. Hopefully he is normal, but if he can't seem to play very long, I would recommend getting him checked out.

Hello. Kovu probably is going to need a more extensive workup than just the blood work he received at the ER. I am concerned about the heart murmur because a cardiac abnormality can cause a condition caused syncope, which might be mistaken for a seizure. If you were my client, I would highly recommend a cardiac consultation prior to placing Kovu on anti-seizure medication. Only after I was sure the episodes are not heart related would I think about starting a daily anti-seizure medication. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.