Side effects from heart meds my vet prescribed

Hi everyone! I am so worried about Peanut. Our vet just put him on a new heart medication because his heart is a bit enlarged, similar to what Dave King mentioned in Duke's recent vet workup.

I am trying to be prepared for any side effects. What should I be watching for? I know Coco has her hip issues, but Peanut is my active Maine Coon and I just want to make sure the meds aren't making him sicker. Has anyone else dealt with this?!

Hello Beth. I understand the anxiety. When I started Dolly on her diabetes meds, I was terrified of the side effects too. I found that keeping a very strict log helped me separate normal behavior from reaction to the drug. You might find my post on Keeping a strict schedule for Dolly's meds helpful for setting up that routine. Consistency is everything when you are trying to spot changes.

I am also very worried about my Bella! She has asthma and I am constantly on edge. I know heart meds can sometimes affect breathing or make a cat very sleepy. Is that normal? In Bella's asthma flares and triggers, I noted that she gets tired after her inhaler, but I wonder if the heart meds will make it worse??

I am with you on the worry, Paul. I am dealing with Milo's skin right now, which is exhausting. I wrote about it in Milo's alopecia patches. I don't know if heart meds cause hair loss, but I am checking every inch of him daily. If you see any new patches or excessive licking, that is a big red flag for me.

I observe Lulu closely because of her hairball problems, detailed in Lulu's hairball issues. With heart medication, I would watch for changes in appetite or if she stops grooming. If she stops grooming, it might be because she is feeling unwell, or it might be a side effect of the drowsiness. It is hard to tell the difference without a baseline.

@lynn_b60 That is a good point about the baseline. But wait, I just realized I might have mixed up the cats! Peanut is the one on the heart meds, not Duke. Can you clarify which cat of Dave King's is actually on the medication? I want to make sure I am looking at the right history in Duke's recent vet workup.

You are right to ask. I believe it was Duke who had the enlarged heart, but I am not certain if he is currently on medication. The thread Duke's recent vet workup mentioned monitoring, but I do not recall a prescription being discussed. Beth, you know Peanut's history better than anyone. Is there a specific reason you are comparing him to Duke?