Since taking Sweetie to the vet on Friday for some tests, we now know more. Both tests for heartworm came back negative. The bronchiola pattern detected on the x-rays was real, as was the heart murmur. So, she probably has asthma/allergies instead, though there was no audible wheezing in the lungs at the time of the exam.
The heart murmur will not go away, and there is a feline cardiologist in Carytown, if we want to drop a bunch of money on an echocardiogram. I’ve had them done for myself and a couple of the kids - somehow, the cat just doesn’t quite make the cut yet. We’ll watch for lethargy to see if it is effecting her somehow. (I know — lethargy, cat, how can you tell the difference?)
So, that’s good news and bad news. Right now, it looks like we just wait. At least it looks like the weight-loss is real, as just asthma is not going to cause abnormal weight-loss (unlike heartworm). Hopefully, that will take some strain off her cardio system.
Squirt has also recently been having a lot of sneezing and turned out to be both allergies and an infection. After 3 weeks of antibiotics she seems better, but still not perfect. She turned 12 years old this year. We need to schedule another appointment to see how she is doing, and yes, it is even more expensive in NYC to deal with pet bills.