How long does saddle thrombus last?
The cat will need heart medication, blood thinners, and nursing care while the rear legs recover. Median survival of saddle thrombus cats with heart failure is 77 days while median survival of saddle thrombus cats without heart failure is 223 days.
When a cat is suffering from saddle thrombosis?
Clinical signs of saddle thrombus reflect loss of blood supply to one or both hind limbs and usually come on suddenly/acutely and severely. Often the most striking clinical sign is vocalization. This condition is very painful, usually causing the cats to cry excessively.
Why is saddle thrombus painful?
When it gets stuck it’s now called an embolism. The result in the case of a saddle thrombus (an embolism at the base of the aorta) is that it cuts off the blood supply––mostly to the back legs, which is an extremely painful condition.
What causes cats back legs to not work?
The most common cause of rear limb paralysis in cats is a blood clot that goes to the back leg, called a saddle thrombus or arterial thromboembolism (ATE). This clot blocks blood flow to the affected limb(s). A clot in the back leg suddenly causes the cat to be unable to put full weight on the affected leg.
Is saddle thrombus preventable?
There is no known mode of prevention for most of the cardiac diseases that predispose cats to saddle thrombus formation.
Is saddle thrombus hereditary?
Aortic thromboembolism, also referred to as saddle thrombus, is more common in cats in comparison to dogs, and it is believe to be hereditary in nature.
How do you treat a saddle thrombus?
These following methods are considered most commonly employed in these cases:
- Heparin and/or aspirin (“blood thinning” drugs to help prevent further clot formation)
- Thrombolytic drugs (to help “dissolve” the clot itself, sometimes applied to the clot itself)
- Surgery (to remove the clot)
When to take your cat to the vet for saddle thrombus?
Although a veterinarian usually diagnoses saddle thrombus, the cat often displays symptoms that prompt the owner to take their cat to the vet. The main symptoms, weakness or paralysis of the back legs, can be easily spotted. The hind legs may also be colder than the rest of the body and even have a bluish color to them.
What kind of cats have saddle thrombus ( FATE )?
Since FATE is often associated with heart disease, its prevalence follows the same patterns. Abyssinians, ragdolls, and Birmans are over-represented in FATE cases as are middle-aged males, because HCM is more common in these patients. If playback doesn’t begin shortly, try restarting your device.
What happens when you get a saddle thrombus?
The result in the case of a saddle thrombus (an embolism at the base of the aorta) is that it cuts off the blood supply––mostly to the back legs, which is an extremely painful condition. Forget broken bones and fractured teeth. This is the stuff of nightmares.
What are the symptoms of aortic thromboembolism in cats?
Sudden paralysis and pain, usually in the rear legs, are the most common clinical signs of aortic thromboembolism, although weakness and lameness may be seen. If the rear limbs are affected, there may be decreased or absent pulses in the femoral arteries of the rear legs.
What happens to a cat with saddle thrombus?
The prognosis for those that don’t have heart disease, other than saddle thrombus, is obviously better but still not good. If a cat does survive saddle thrombus or doesn’t have heart disease, the cat may need to be on blood thinners for the rest of its life and may not have full use of the back legs.
How did saddle thrombus recover from heart failure?
In the meantime, make sure you understand how to use Lasix to prevent edema and congestive heart failure. Unfortunately we were not given that guidance, either, until far too late. Nevertheless, and it required quite a lot of devotion on my part mostly because of the appalling malpractice of the veterinarians, he did recover.
What kind of heart disease does a cat have?
Saddle thrombus, also known as feline cardiogenic arterial thromboembolism (ATE) or saddle thrombosis, is serious complication stemming from heart disease in cats.
Do you need blood work for saddle thrombus?
Because the symptoms of saddle thrombus are so obvious, a physical examination may be all that’s needed to make a diagnosis. However, if the vet is uncertain or wants to be extremely thorough, he may perform blood work on the cat.
