HCM
On December 9th, 2020, my 3-year-old sphynx and best friend, Fluffy, suddenly and unexpectedly died.
A heart defect called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) took him away from me.
HCM is a cardiac defect widely prevalent in the sphynx breed (also affects Maine coon, ragdoll, British shorthair, Chartreux, rex, and Persian cats). HCM causes the heart walls to thicken (hypertrophy), resulting in the inability to effectively pump blood throughout the body.
HCM is a silent killer, often showing little to no signs or symptoms. HCM can result in sudden death, blood clots, and/or congestive heart failure. Most cats diagnosed with HCM have a life expectancy of only 6-18 months.
Even worse, cats who screen negative for HCM can still be positive. This is because all the genetic mutations of HCM have yet to be discovered.
My book series, Fluffy the Hairless Cat, was written to honor my Fluffy, and to raise awareness and donations for HCM. My goal is to help advance HCM research so that no one else goes through the immeasurable heartache I have suffered since the day I lost Fluffy to HCM. That is why 20% of all book sales will be donated directly to Dr. Meurs's HCM research at North Carolina State University.
If you would like to make a difference, you can either order my special books and Fluffy merchandise (go to SHOP), or donate directly to Dr. Kate Meurs’s HCM Research Laboratory at: Dr. Meurs's HCM Fund
Your donation will aid in the critical research of finding the genetic mutations responsible for HCM.
Together, we can save our pets lives.
A heart defect called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) took him away from me.
HCM is a cardiac defect widely prevalent in the sphynx breed (also affects Maine coon, ragdoll, British shorthair, Chartreux, rex, and Persian cats). HCM causes the heart walls to thicken (hypertrophy), resulting in the inability to effectively pump blood throughout the body.
HCM is a silent killer, often showing little to no signs or symptoms. HCM can result in sudden death, blood clots, and/or congestive heart failure. Most cats diagnosed with HCM have a life expectancy of only 6-18 months.
Even worse, cats who screen negative for HCM can still be positive. This is because all the genetic mutations of HCM have yet to be discovered.
My book series, Fluffy the Hairless Cat, was written to honor my Fluffy, and to raise awareness and donations for HCM. My goal is to help advance HCM research so that no one else goes through the immeasurable heartache I have suffered since the day I lost Fluffy to HCM. That is why 20% of all book sales will be donated directly to Dr. Meurs's HCM research at North Carolina State University.
If you would like to make a difference, you can either order my special books and Fluffy merchandise (go to SHOP), or donate directly to Dr. Kate Meurs’s HCM Research Laboratory at: Dr. Meurs's HCM Fund
Your donation will aid in the critical research of finding the genetic mutations responsible for HCM.
Together, we can save our pets lives.