Can a heart problem in my cat be made worse by giving steroids?

by Anonymous

Can an undetected heart problem in my cat be made worse by giving steroids?


Symptoms: lethargy and loss of appetite.

Editor's note: If your cat is exhibiting these symptoms, please call your vet and get some guidance.

Steroids are powerful drugs and not without side effects. I have heard of steroid use causing a reaction in cats that have heart problems.

Lethargy and loss of appetite can be some of the symptoms. In some cases, congestive heart failure can result, which needs immediate treatment.

Some cats, sometimes very young cats, have underlying heart problems but show no symptoms.

Other cats don't develop signs of heart problems until later in life. This was the case with my cat, Priscilla, who was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at age 11.

Since echocardiograms aren't done unless either the cat shows symptoms, or a veterinarian detects a heart murmur (that's how Priscilla was diagnosed with HCM), there's no way to know that anything is wrong beforehand.

See Dr. Vicky Lamb's response to a cat parent with a 1 year old cat with an apparent reaction to a steroid shot.

"The reaction that your cat had to the shot is one we can see in cats that have underlying heart disease. The steroid shot did not cause the disease, it just made it evident to
us by the side effects it causes. So, most likely, your cat had a diseased heart already, that was functioning pretty well prior to the shot. The shot then made his heart worse. Most cats will experience lethargy from the steroid shot for 24 hrs. However, if there is difficulty breathing or the lethargy does not resolve, I will start worrying about the heart. There are some cats whose hearts will sound completely normal on examination, but will have a bad reaction to the steroid shot, and there is no way to predict this unfortunately. These cats usually have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy."

Also see Dr. Elyse Kent on whether or not steroid use is dangerous in cats.

"A less common side effect of corticosteroid use is to uncover hidden congestive heart failure (CHF). If heart disease is undetected (occult), especially if a heart murmur is not heard, fluid can rapidly fill up the lungs causing labored breathing and distress after a steroid injection is given. If the patient is promptly seen by a vet on an emergency basis and CHF is diagnosed by a chest x-ray, oxygen therapy and diuretic injections generally cause the fluid to be urinated out and an echocardiogram can be performed to further define the heart condition."

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Comments for Can a heart problem in my cat be made worse by giving steroids?

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Oct 14, 2023
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starstarstarstarstar 		FORGIVE YOURSELF & GET EDUCATED
by: Anonymous

I feel for every one of you who took your kitty to the vet for help and instead found out later that what the vet gave killed them. Personally, I feel that those vets were at fault, malpractice, to have given steroids without a firm diagnosis or even though they knew the cats had heart murmurs or other heart issues. It is a known fact that steroids can cause heart failure in cats and must only be used when no reasonable alternatives are available. Unfortunately, pet care is no different from our broken human health care system in that Drs are only trained to run tests and give Big Pharma drugs instead of finding root causes of health issues and using less potentially toxic treatments. In human medicine, the third leading cause of death are medical mistakes, everything from prescribed drugs to toxic treatments to leaving things inside people after surgery that cause deadly infections. So we cant expect that pet medicine using the same model is any different. This is why we ALL need to be proactive and educated about both human and pet care.
this means that we need to be prepared to question vets and human doctors about treatments that they suggest, inquiring about all options, potential side effects, get a second opinion, research natural options and naturopathic care etc We need to look up things ourselves and look in forums like this to educate ourselves. We can not blindly trust even those who are licensed doctors/vets. But please be comforted that you did the very best you could at the time with the information you were given. Your cats know that you loved them and they loved you. The guilt is intense and difficult to deal with. But please forgive yourself for not knowing. You know that you would have chosen differently if you had known. Remember this in the future when you or your pet are getting medical treatment and advice. You can choose to take it or leave it. Only YOU can make the decisions, but only after you have all the information to decide if the risk vs benefit scenario makes sense for your particular pet or yourself.
Sep 06, 2022
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starstarstarstarstar 		RIP my sweet Fiona
by: Terry

My immense feeling of guilt and responsibility for the death of my sweet Fiona is what lead me to this site. Fiona had scabs under her neck, on her chin and around her ears that was causing her to scratch so much her ears were read and sore and she was losing the hair on her ears. I brought her to the vet to find some relief for her. Upon examination, I answered all the routine questions (Fiona was never in need of the vet before except for the usual rabies vac, etc.) She was an indoor cat and otherwise healthy. She did have a heart murmur that I was told was benign. The vet was aware of this, took blood work and found no evidence of disease or otherwise poor health. She prescribed Predisolone oral and ear drop for what she believed was a yeast infection causing Fiona’s dermatitis problem. I began the meds as prescribed immediately after the vet appointment. Fiona took meds no problem, but became lethargic, inactive and went into hiding under the bed. On day 5 of (prescribed for two weeks) I noticed her labored breathing/panting. She was shutting down. I brought her to the ER vet and was told that she was in distress, they put her in oxygen crate and said she would not improve. She had no trouble breathing or anything, just the rash. I cannot help but believe the steroids caused this. I’m sick and so sad about this and feel so responsible when all I was seeking was finding her relief from the terrible itching. This occurred yesterday, Labor Day. Of course my vet’s office was closed and I had to drive far to an ER. I am going to bring this to the attention to her vet this afternoon. So angry and sad and missing her this morning terribly, but the guilt, Dear God! I cannot believe this.
Jul 27, 2022
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starstarstarstarstar 		Steroid caused critical heart failure?
by: Losa

Have just had to make the hardest decision and put my beautiful Tuxedo boy, Tully to sleep. He went to the vet yesterday evening for an allergy, vet gave him a steroid injection (I told her he had a heart murmur that was detected when he was little but hasn’t needed any vet intervention - has actually never been to the vets in the 8 years of his life since). This morning, he was panting, acting like he was being sick, breathing with his mouth open and collapsed. Phoned emergency vets and he had gone into critical heart failure - there was so much liquid around his heart they couldn’t actually hear anything. My poor boy didn’t deserve this end to his life and I’m going to miss him terribly. I feel that I’ve totally let him down 💔💔 xxxxx
May 17, 2022
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starstarstarstarstar 		So Sorry to Hear About Another Loss
by: EssBee

Katy, I am so sorry to hear that you experienced the same end to your family member's life that I, and so many others, have experienced. Know that you tried to get the best treatment for your cat and that nobody anticipated this type of outcome. That said, take time to remember your family member's life and the good times that you shared.
Apr 26, 2022
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starstarstarstarstar 		Cat had heart failure day after steroid shot
by: Katy

Same thing happened to my cat!!! I took her in for a little sore that she was licking they gave her steroid and antibiotics shot the next day she was having trouble breathing I took her to the emergency vet and they said she was having heart failure and I had to put it down. They did not give me the option of the diuretic shot and oxygen. So upset!!!
Apr 04, 2021
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starstarstarstarstar 		So sorry for the loss of your family member
by: EssBee

I am so sorry to hear of the loss of Snowbaby. We do the very best for our family members. Navigating pandemic protocols when trying to get medical care for ourselves and our family members has made things so much more difficult. You would not have gotten Snowbaby the care everyone thought she needed unless you cared. And although you felt helpless, when things turned awful, you helped Snowbaby by staying with her until the end. Don't underestimate how much it meant to be held rather than handed over. Your love and compassion are evident.
Mar 17, 2021
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starstarstarstarstar 		Steroid for dermatitis
by: Anonymous

My best friend snowbaby died gasping for breath, she did have a heart murmur but the vet was aware of that, and she was treated before with prednisone, well because of Covid I couldn’t go inside with her, later that night she started panting and crying gasping for breath, it was 2am on a weekend night, the closest place was 45 min away, well she died in my arms crying for me to help her, I never felt more helpless in my life, please do your homework before u give your kitty meds from a vet, I had the same vet for yrs, and I blame him for her death, when I called and told him, him said stop being so hard on your self, well I will never go back to him, that was a heartless thing to speak about.. thanks
Nov 30, 2020
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starstarstarstarstar 		Depo medrol killed my cat!
by: Anonymous

I am completely devastated! Last week, I took my 5 year old cat to the vet for skin allergy. She had gone a few times before for the same issue. The vet gave her a depo medrol shot. After coming home, she seemed tired, but fine. Saturday & Sunday she seemed a bit tired, but I thought it was just lethargy. On Monday evening, I noticed she was having trouble breathing, so I took her to the ER. I was told she had heart failure!! She was happy and playful before she got the shot. I feel so guilty & responsible for her death. I keep replaying her last moments over again. I don't know how I will ever forgive myself.
Jun 02, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		We lost Simon tonight from this.
by: Anonymous

We were at the vets this morning because Simon's breathing has been unusual the past couple of days. Vet did through exam, thought it might be mild asthma. He gave Simon a cortisone shot. He was okay, a little less active than normal, but we knew he would be from the shot. Around 10pm he started open mouth panting and couldn't breathe. We rushed him to emergency vet but he died on the way. Vet said he probably had an undiagnosed heart problem. He was only 8 years old.
May 31, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Steroid injection - then trouble breathing
by: Cathy

A few months ago, my 13 year old female cat was having a scratching problem, so I took her in and the vet gave her some prednisone tablets for me to give her at home. That night, she was having fast breathing (panting) and I took her in to the vet the next morning. The vet took an xray of her chest and stomach, and found that her heart was mis-shaped. The vet never said anything about her possibly having cardiomyopathy.

So fast forward to this week .....My cat had a sore on her lower lip. The vet gave her a steroid and antibiotic injection (she obviously didn't look at her record! I totally forgot that it was a steroid that caused her problem before.) My cat was very quiet that evening and the next morning she was having faster breathing (panting) than normal. It wasn't as bad as before, so I went on to work. Then when I got home that afternoon, she was hid out in the house and having trouble breathing. I took her to the emergency animal clinic, and I told the vet about the xray result and the steroid injection. She said that she probably had cardiomyopathy, and suggested that I let her go because this problem would probably return. The thing is..... she seemed to be fine (except for the lip sore) before she was given the steroid injection. I feel that the injection brought on a burden on her already weak heart and she would have still been with me for a longer period had it not been for that steroid.
Mar 23, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Sorry for the loss of your family member
by: EssBee

Jon, I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved family member. Too many people are reporting the same outcome after steroid injections. After losing my family member, I tell every person that I learn has a cat to seriously consider any situation where steroid injections are suggested. I hope that you and your family can remember the happier times, and take comfort knowing that your family's actions to seek care were motivated by love and compassion.
Mar 21, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Are steroids to blame or was this an eventuality?
by: Jon

We have just had to have our 7 year old house cat put to sleep. Apart from being overweight he has had no health issues, and up until Monday was in good spirits. He has had steroid injections in the past with no issues. However, we took him to the vets on Monday with discomfort round his tail which turned out to be the after effects of fleas.

The vet gave him a steroid injection. Over the past few days we had noticed a loss of appetite and then today (Thursday) we noticed he was struggling to breathe. We took him to the vets at 1900 and at 0200 he had to be put to sleep due to fluid round the heart.

Absolutely devastated, can't help but think it was the injection that kick started everything.
Jan 23, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		So Sorry for the Loss of Cleo
by: EssBee

I am so very sorry to hear that your beloved family member, Cleo, passed after a Convenia injection. I commented earlier after losing our Jackie, in early September 2018. Through tears and guilt, please know that, like all loving pet parents, you did your best for Cleo, and never, ever, meant for this to have happened.
Jan 23, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Died After Convenia & Arthritis Injections
by: Anonymous

My very special 17 year old female cat, Cleo, went into what I believe to be heart failure within one hour of receiving these injections. For the past 3 years she was being treated for hyperthyroidism and arthritis. Although we had our ups and downs with addressing her issues she always bounced back. Her thyroid med was changed a month ago and in very recent tests all was looking good to not warrant any more med changes. Having a racing heart during all this time was also known and certainly the effects of what hyperthyroidism can do to her organs. Due to having what seemed to be a head cold and her arthritis acting up, I asked if there was something that could be given to her and was told yes. After getting home from the vet, she walked out of the carrier and totally lost control of her back legs and tail. I called the vet immediately, as it was close to closing time and was told to just let her rest and we would re-evaluate again in the morning. My biggest mistake in not taking her right back down there as for what I know now, she was crashing. I have a lot of respect for my vet in getting her as far as he did with all of her issues but feel that giving the OK for these injections caused her death and she should not have had to die the way she did nor I have to experience it and now live with the guilt.
Nov 15, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Cortizone shot put my cat in a nauseated stupor!
by: Dawn

My 15 yr old cat has been on prednizolone cream applied daily to ear for a year. Since my husband just retired and we have several trips planned, we took our vet's advice on giving her depo medrol cortisone injection needed only every 4 to 5 weeks. Did that last Tues. By Wed afternoon she could not walk straight nor hold her head up. Took her to a 24 hr emergency vet clinic and 2 of the vets there said it couldn't be related to the shot! Almost had her euthanized but decided to bring her home for another day or 2 to see if she improves. She is very slowly improving but now feel certain, after reading all these posts, that the cortisone shot was the reason for her dizziness and nausea!
Oct 19, 2018
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starstarstarstar 		Sorry for your loss
by: Anonymous

I understand how you feel,my cat also had a steroid shot that caused her to have heart failure. We lost her this past May and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of her . You will get through this it just takes time to heal. Best of luck to you in your grief and try to remember the best days you had with her.
Oct 17, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Guilt is natural
by: Jim W.

Stacey,

I'm very sorry for your loss. I think guilt is a natural reaction when a tragedy happens, but please, try not to be so hard on yourself. Try to remember that you did the best you could for your cat.

We trust our veterinarians to know what's right. Unfortunately, they don't always know. We can't blame ourselves.

This is hard, but you'll get through it.
Oct 17, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		My 7 year old cat just died and i believe a cortisone injection and my vet's non-urgent reaction caused her death
by: Stacey

Last Thursday, our 7 year old cat didn't eat dinner. She was a feral that we socialized, so for her not to run to her food and eat was very out of the ordinary.

On Friday morning, she didn't come out to eat her breakfast, and i told my husband that something must be wrong. She's not eating and she's hiding behind the couch.

We called the vet and were able to get her in at 1 that afternoon. We easily got her in the carrier, which again was not common, so we knew she didn't feel right.

I got her to the vet. She looked at her and said, we'll draw blood and get an xray. She asked me about her - does she throw up? Yes, she does. It's pretty often but it's always after food, so i think it's because she's a nervous cat. She didn't react to this at all. I also told her she recently lost a tooth. She looked at her teeth and gums and said they looked good.

While she was looking at her, she saw she was breathing a kinda of rapidly, not terrible but more than is normal. She said she may have asthma, i'll give her cortisone.

I didn't ask about it because she is the vet and i figured she knows what to do but i did, in my head question why would we give a shot when we took blood and don't know what is wrong yet. other than the labored breathing, she showed no signs of asthma at all.

fast forward a few hours, we are home and she begins wheezing and her breathing is a lot more labored. I called our vet who has a 24 hour hotline. She called right back. Asked if her tongue or paws where pale, we said no, they are pink. She said okay, she's oxidizing, so just call me in the morning and i will remember to look at her blood results.

at 5:30 am, i jumped awake to find her in a more chronic state, gasping more for air and wheezing and moaning. i called the vet again, who said, bring her in at 9:30, she'll be my first appt. we got her there at 9:30, waited 20 minutes. she took her out of the carrier and fluid came out of her mouth. She said her lungs have filled with fluids, we need to give her a diarrhetic and oxygen. this may or may not help.

at 2 pm i called, they said she improved and was sitting up even. we got there at 2:50 because they closed at 3 and she was worse than when we first brought her in. the vet said we can take her home, put her in a room with water and a litter box. she was crying and moaning in the cage and we couldn't bring ourselves to torture her anymore. it was for us not her if we brought her home.

several hours later, while we sat in shock at home, i decided to start to look up chronic heart failure and one of the first things i found was that cortisone shots can trigger heart failure. WHY in the world did she treat her for asthma when she took blood and had no results. She also showed me the xray from the day before compared to the one of the day she died. all she said was this is the first xray and you can see she has a slightly enlarged heart.........from what i found, cortisone should not have been given and she should have said to get her to the ER on that friday nite.

How do we live with the guilt and anger that her death was premature and our vet showed no sign of urgency for her life??? I need help coping with this because I can't even focus on her loss because i am riddled with guilt that i didn't do anything.
Sep 05, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Gone after Depo-Medrol (Prednisolone) injection
by: EssBee

Our 16 year old female cat, Jackie, died 4 days after receiving a long-acting Depo-Medrol injection and Convenia (antibiotic) injection to slow down an oral cancer and prevent infection. This is standard treatment for oral cancers in felines. Same results as other posters: extreme fatigue, vomiting everything up, frothing and labored breathing and trying to find a safe spot in the house to die. Words cannot express the guilt that I feel for making the wrong call in Jackie's palliative cancer treatment. Here's what we have learned since her death 2 days ago: her previous Hyperthyroid problems would contraindicate giving steroid shots because her heart was likely weakened over the years from an increased metabolism/heart rate, her 10 day Amoxicillin antibiotic use after recent oral surgery to remove some diseased tissue also likely weakened her heart or caused an irregular heartbeat, and then giving the steroid shot created a series of events that she could not recover from ... even with treatment (according to the vet). The Hyperthyroid and the recent Amoxicillin usage are each enough cause to resist use of steroids. Corticosteroid-Associated Heart Failure in cats has been known and documented by vets. I wish our family had known, and we would have never agreed to the injection for our poor Jackie. Please don't make our mistake.
Aug 08, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Kitty with lymphoma vs. heart disease
by: Kurt (Admin)

I'm sorry to hear your cat is so sick with lymphoma and the mass on her heart. I can't imagine how difficult the decision to treat your cat with steroids has been for you. For what it's worth, I think I would have made the same choice to treat the lymphoma. I hope the treatment helps.
Aug 08, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		my sweet kitty has bad luck
by: Anonymous

So I'm also stuck with a difficult choice of heart disease and lymphoma. In my case, my 11 year old cat has a mass on her heart that drains constantly into her heart sac. So effectively, that's going to kill her in days or a week or two max.

so, either I give her the treatment for the lymphoma (including steroids) in the hopes that it helps resolve that and give her more quality of life while hoping it doesn't kill her...or, I don't, and they try lesser measures that probably don't work and she dies anyways relatively soon.

So my vet and I decided to give her a moderate course of steroids to try and not harm the heart too much but also get after the lymphoma.

it seems like a no-brainer because the alternative is that lymphoma filling up her heart sac and her dying pretty quickly. But it sucks that she's stuck with the bad luck of having both these diseases at the same time.
Jun 21, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		My cat died two days after steroid Injection
by: Diana

My cat received steroid Injection for itching. I had been told previously by vet that my cat had slow heart rate, but no other diagnosis. Two days after injection cat lethargic, rapid breathing. Took to vet, showed enlarged heart and fluid surrounding lungs. She had to be euthanized. I am heartbroken.
May 22, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		Devastated
by: pam

My cat saffy was my everything. She was fourteen years old and was having a lot of pain walking so we decided to have a vet come check her out. They gave her a steroid shot and two days later she was having a lot of difficulty breathing so the vet came back over, did an X-ray and informed me that she needed to be put to sleep. That her lungs and stomach were filled with fluid. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t grieve for her and I have to live with the guilt of not knowing that this was a possibility even though the vet assured me that it wasn’t what caused it.
Feb 14, 2018
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starstarstarstar 		my cat died 2 days after steroid
by: Tina

My 12-year old cat died last night, 2 days after receiving a steroid injection for a possible allergy. She had JUST had a total check-up one week prior and was pronounced in good health. SHE suddenly 24 hours after the injection began foaming at the mouth, crying, lost bowel control and vomiting. RUSHED her to the emergency vet and she died several hours later. vet trying to tell me there is no connection to the shot, but do not know the cause of sickness and death. Heartbroken, to say the least
Feb 07, 2018
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starstarstarstarstar 		I think I killed my precious cat
by: Patti

I didn’t know. Steroids can cause major issues in cats. My precious 16 year old Camo Kitty was having issues with her skin from a recent move to the desert. The vet suggested steroids. We gave her a shot and Kitty made a miraculous recovery. Over the course of four months she was given four shots. She died four days from the last injection given. Her breathing became shallow and I detected fluid in her lungs. I took her to the emergency room and she had to be put asleep hours later. I’m devastated. I didn’t know. And what bothers me the most is that I trusted this vet - she was the second or third one after a series of mis-diagnoses, huge costs and much agony trying to find the source of her distress. The only consolation I have is that she rallied shortly after the last shot and was like her old self for two days. But the pain and guilt I’m carrying now from not knowing is heart wrenching. I can only hope and pray anyone reading this will take note and research what it is your precious kitty is receiving and know the side effects so you may make an informed decision.
Oct 01, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		My poorly cat
by: Hannah

I took my cat 5 days ago because of a skin irritation and they gave him a steroid injection, knowing he has a heart murmur. 24 hours later he wasn't eating or drinking and appeared to have shallow breathing. Took him back to the vets and they're telling me he potentially has heart failure. I wish I had read this thread before this happened I would have never let him have one. The vets are denying it has ANYTHING to do with the injection and now He's on medication and I'm unsure if he's going to survive or not. It's breaking my heart.
Aug 01, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		To Charlies Mom dont use steroids to treat allergies.
by: Anonymous

A word of caution with steroids and allergies. They work like a charm but do not last forever. Even healthy cats do not tolerate steroids well. There is a recomeneded limit on how many shots a cat can get in a lifetime. Which is why I do not understand why Vets don't let you know this or prepare you for long term treatment. My cat developed diabetes from the shots. He nearly died after the last one. So now he can never have another. He takes Atopica and it treats his allergies better than the steroids. Why was I not given this option before he developed diabetes. Instead of just having to pay for Atopica I have to pay for insulin, syringes and glucose strips. I have to be home at certain time twice a day. And worst of all my cat is suffering from diabetes unnecessarily.
Jul 17, 2017
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starstarstar 		DON'T Give Steroids to felines with unchecked murmurs
by: Charlie's Mom

My cat suffers from allergies and was given a Depoprovera injection in December 2016. No issues.
Here we were at the end of June 2017 and the allergies were acting up again. Prescribed Generc Zyrtec. No real improvement. Vet suggested another dose of Depoprovera. Less then 24 hours later, he was unable to walk, fell over and defecated as he lay there. Rushed him to the emergency vet. They suspected either Diabetes or Heart Disease. Had to bring him to a specialist in Mass. Almost $4600 later and he was DX'd with A heart murmur and and echo shows heart disease.
Why he didn't pick up on the murmur is unknown to me. So sad about this issue. I almost killed my cat and the future looks uncertain.
MAKE your vet check for heart murmurs prior to steroids! And get health insurance for your pet. Regretting that now.
May 22, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Lacy the Cat.
by: lacy

Steroids changed my cats life. She went from a scabby, shy, mess of a cat that pooped and peed everywhere she shouldn't, to the most friendly lovely pet anyone would ask for. I see people saying 'no way' to steroids. Sometimes quality is worth a lot more than quantity. Steroids obviously can cause/exacerbate issues in cats, But the alternative....for my cat at least, was misery. The risks and benefits must be weighed against each other.
Feb 26, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Steroids CAN cause heart failure
by: Tara

My veterinarian put my cat Sunny on Prednisolone last year in order to help with the itching caused by her allergies. It helped for that, but within a couple of months, Sunny started having problems breathing. So bad that I had to rush her to the emergency room one night. Tests were done and not only was she found to have a heart disease called Cardiomyopathy-- which I was told is common in older cats-- but fluid had built up all around her heart. They had to use a needle to draw the fluid out. The emergency vet said that it didn't make sense why Sunny had gotten the fluid because her Cardiomyopathy wasn't that bad. When he found out she'd been on Prednisolone, he said THAT was the cause.. He said cats with heart disease should never be given steroids because they cause the heart disease to worsen into heart failure. The problem is, I didnt know and my vet didn't know, that Sunny even had heart disease when she put her on the steroids. She had no symptoms of anything being wrong with her heart until the Prednisolone caused her to go into heart failure. She's all right now, but never again would I ever allow any of my cats to be put on steroids for any reason. They're dangerous.
Feb 25, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Steroids don't cause heart failure
by: Anonymous

When debating whether or not to allow steroid treatment, remember (As the article stated) that steroids do not *cause* or "give" heart failure or heart issues.

Rather, the steroid can cause a pre-existing heart condition to show itself, as a poorly working heart will not respond well to the steroid.

There is a difference and it's important to keep in mind when considering the options. If a cat isn't showing ANY sign of heart failure or heart condition there is little reason to suspect steroids will be problematic.

Feb 11, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		My Cat Too
by: Anonymous

I know for a fact that steroids caused my cat to get congestive heart failure because his cardiologist told me so.

Little Guy was prescribed Prednisolone by his regular vet in 2015. He was 14 at the time and had suffered from chronic respiratory infections his entire life. Supposedly, the Prednisolone would help make his infections occur less frequently and be milder in nature. From the beginning, I was worried about the bad side effects I knew steroids could cause. But my vet just kept telling me that , quote " we have to weigh the benefits against the risks".

However, the Prednisolone did very little to help my cat's respiratory infections and after a year of being on them, I told my vet I wanted him off them. But it was too late. Unbeknownst to anyone (because he had no heart murmur to give it away) Little Guy had Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. I found out the day I had to rush him to the emergency animal hospital due to sudden collapsing episodes. The steroids had caused his pre-existing heart disease to develop into a pleural effusion.

Little Guy survived but the heart medications he had to be on every day thereafter did a number on his kidneys and I had to put him to sleep on February 1st, 2017.

Don't let your vet put your cat on steroids without knowing the condition of his/her heart beforehand. Again, I have the word of a board-certified veterinary cardiologist that steroids can indeed cause heart failure in cats.
Jan 03, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Tragic losses
by: Kurt (Admin)

I'm sorry to hear about everyone's cats having so many problems with steroids, and tragic deaths and illnesses.

Unfortunately, we have to rely on our veterinarians to guide us. There are cases where that guidance seems to be lacking. In some cases, I'm hearing people say they weren't informed of the dangers. In other cases, I'm hearing denial of a connection with steroids and deaths or illness in the cats.

I think all we can do to help protect our cats is ask more questions, and try to stay as informed as possible. If your cat has a heart problem, it's even more important to ask questions before any treatment is given.

Even then, we can't be sure we're making the right decision. Being a cat parent isn't easy.
Jan 03, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Can a steroid kill my cat with a heart murmur?
by: Anonymous

My Bette would be 3 in April of this year I already knew she had a heart murmur when I took her in to be spayed a year ago. This past Summer we had a terrible problem with fleas and Bette being a long haired cat seemed to wrestle the most with constant scratching and biting leaving many scabs around her neck and above her tail. Last Wednesday I took her to the vet to possible help her with the scabs. The first thing he noticed was the heart murmur then he proceeded to give her another rabies shot a distemper and finally a shot of steroids which he stated would help with the scabs and itching. 2 days later in the morning she ate as usual and seemed very much her self the itching seemed to be a little less but when we left in the morning I noticed her breathing seemed shallow but not uncommon with her. We come home 6 hours late and she is foaming at the mouth and rigor mortis had already set in, could she have been allergic to the steroid? she wasn't even 3? heartbroken I also have her sister which has a murmur as well now I'm terrified something will happen to her.
Nov 10, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Be Extremely
by: Anonymous

My old cat had a steroid injection on Thursday of last week and was dead by Saturday morning. The vet, naturally, said that the injection would have had nothing to do with her death. I don't agree.
Oct 22, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Reply to Karen M.
by: Paula C

Karen M,

I wish I was told to bring in my cat after 10 days on steroids..then they would have seen her heart was worsening..our cat also had small cell lymphoma.. I wish you all the best ..hope there's an alternative treatment you can use..maybe even something holistic.
Oct 22, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Gave cat steroids and he got Congestive Heart Failure
by: Karen M

We give our cat steroids as a last ditch treatment for suspected pancreatitis. Ten days later took him to get ultrasound and found congestive heart failure due to steroids. Immediately started him on diuretic and we will see cardiologist again 3 weeks to see if fluid has drained away. Cat is extremely hungry, has diarrhea. Vet now say it's small cell lymphoma (not uncommon in old cats, he's 15). Problem is the treatment for that is oral chemo and Steroids! We will go to vet in two weeks to see what alternatives there are to that treatment. If we'd given him that treatment before we wouldn't have seen the CHF in time and he likely wouldn't have survived. We are hopeful, and spoiling him daily of course. Fortunately,I'm home with him all the time.
Sep 13, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Steroids and Heart Murmur
by: Anonymous

I absolutely agree with Fiona's mom! My cat was prescribed prednisone ..she had a heart murmur ..she tolerated it for a short time.. but then she stopped eating and drinking and was stumbling..we brought her to the vet..they said her heart murmur worsened and she developed diabetes (all from the prednisone!)..she passed away the next day..I think about her everyday and my heart breaks because I thought I was helping her by giving her the prednisone.
May 25, 2016
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starstar 		do not give cats steroids
by: Anonymous

It absolutely can. I searched this to let you know. My cat Fiona has had a heart murmur ever since she was a baby. The vet have her steroids today to see if it would help her heavy breathing and not 2 hours later, she died. Do not let your vet give your cat steroids if they can't absolutely confirm your pet doesn't have any heart problems. RIP my lovely kitten

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