The Verdict Is In

So, I got a call about Bethany. She's doing well. They did the echo and didn't find any problems with her heart itself. Usually this kind of arrhythmia is caused by structural defects of the heart. Because the heart is normal, they are suggesting putting in a pacemaker. And because the heart looks good, she actually has a really good prognosis after it's placed.

So, I'm doing it. Like I said in the last post, I am a sucker. It sounds like the procedure isn't any more painful than a spay (they actually go in through the abdomen) and recovery is pretty fast, and she could live a normal long life afterwards. If they had found problems in the heart, I wouldn't have done it, but the decision was pretty easy after talking with Dr. Miller.

I'm going up today to visit with her and talk to the surgeon. They don't have the leads that they need for a cat though, so the surgery probably won't take place til tomorrow or Friday.

I'm a bit relieved, but still scared, as surgery with a heart problem is risky and she could still die under anesthesia. But at least she has a chance at a normal life again...