Maine Coon was put down one day after the first signs of heart disease emerged

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Maine Coon was breathing heavily one day and he was euthanised the next due to sudden sign of heart disease.

Maine Coon was put down one day after the first signs of heart disease emerged
Maine Coon was put down one day after the first signs of heart disease emerged. Image: Instagram account of northstarvintage.

RELATED ARTICLE: Mavacamten is slated as a possible new drug for HCM in Maine Coon cats - always seek vet advice about these sorts of stories.

This story on Instagram shocked me a little. I and many others know that Maine Coons are predisposed to heart disease through inheritance. It is part of the breed sadly. It should not be. It is down to bad breeding. Anyway, a Maine Coon owner posted a glorious picture of their ever so shaggy Maine Coon (never seen a Maine Coon so shaggy) with the following poignant words:

Yesterday we learned the hard way that Maine Coon Cats are prone to heart disease. Junior started breathing heavily and what I thought would be a quick and easy trip to the vet became a heartbreaking afternoon as his chest was filled with fluid and any treatment would just prolong his discomfort. He was such a loving, regal, and funny cat. We miss him so much.

The quote below comes from experts who know. It confirms that the effects of heart disease in domestic cats can appear suddenly. The owner might have no idea that their cat has advanced hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Although I expect that in nearly all cases there will be advanced signs such as inactivity, breathlessness etc. and a heart murmur.

Cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy sometimes show no signs of illness and even no signs of disease on routine veterinary examinations before dying suddenly (Kittleson et al 1999). Sudden death can occur because of a large thromboembolus [thromboembolism]. - Universities Federation for Animal Welfare.

I think Maine Coon owners and those who are seriously thinking of adopting a Maine Coon should be aware of this story. It would be more traumatic than usual to say goodbye to your cat companion by euthanasia if the procedure took place 24 hours after you discovered for the first time that your cat was desperately unhealthy and the only thing that could be done was euthanasia. Too little time to prepare mentally.

RELATED: Gene mutation troponin-T (TNNT2) implicated in HCM in Maine Coon cats.

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