Savannahs need 4 screens and 1 habit: an echocardiogram at 12 months, a dilated eye exam at the same visit, a one-time DNA test for pyruvate kinase deficiency, and a baseline packed cell volume filed with it. The habit is a monthly stool score, because the breed's gut is the part owners notice last and pay for most. None of this is exotic; the total year-one cost sits near 500-800 USD, and the payoff is that a thin-walled heart or a falling PCV gets caught at a stage where monitoring still works.
The schedule in one table
Most practitioners accept this cadence for a clinically normal Savannah. Tighten every interval by half if a parent or littermate had heart or eye disease, and always test before breeding, never after.
| Age | Screen | Repeat (months) | Typical cost (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-12 mo | Echocardiogram, full measurement set | 12 | 200-380 |
| 12 mo | Dilated fundic exam | 12 | 60-120 |
| 12 mo | PK deficiency DNA test, once | once | 80-160 |
| 12 mo | CBC with reticulocyte count and PCV | 12 | 70-130 |
| 24 mo | GI panel, B12 and folate | 12 | 120-240 |
| 24 mo | Abdominal radiograph if vomiting repeats | as needed | 90-180 |
| 36 mo | Chemistry, urinalysis, blood pressure | 12 | 110-220 |
Heart: the measurements that matter
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the breed's most consequential structural risk, and the first echo is a baseline as much as a test. Ask for septal and free wall thickness in millimeters at end-diastole, the left atrial to aortic ratio, and a note on systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve. A wall of 5.0-5.9 mm without other findings buys a 6-month recheck; 6.0 mm or more, or a ratio above 1.5, moves the cat to a cardiology review and a 3-6 month interval. Weigh at every visit, because dosing and risk both scale with kilograms, and count the sleeping respiratory rate at home 3 nights a week: 30 breaths per minute is the line, and 3 consecutive days above it is a call. Any cardiac drug, from a beta blocker to a diuretic, is by veterinary prescription only and titrated to that cat's measurements.
Retina: progressive atrophy, found by exam
Progressive retinal atrophy in this lineage begins with night vision, so the first owner report is usually a cat that stops jumping onto a familiar shelf after dusk. Screen with a dilated fundic exam every 12 months from 12 months of age and add electroretinography once if the exam is equivocal; ERG is the only test that finds loss before the tapetal reflex visibly changes. A DNA panel covers some variants and not others, so read the variant list. At home, run a 1-minute dark-hallway test monthly: 5 obstacles, 3 passes, log the collisions. Two collisions in a week, or a cat that now eats only from a bowl it can touch, means an eye appointment inside 14 days rather than a 12-month routine slot.
Blood: PK deficiency is a one-time test
Pyruvate kinase deficiency shortens red cell life, so the screen is a DNA test once plus a PCV trend forever. A heterozygous carrier looks normal and still matters for breeding decisions; an affected cat can run a PCV of 20-30% for years with a rising reticulocyte count and look merely quiet. File the baseline PCV and recheck it at every annual visit; a drop of 5 points or more from baseline, or a PCV under 20%, is a same-week workup, and under 15% is a transfusion conversation. Pale gums, a sleeping respiratory rate above 30, and reluctance to jump are the home version of the same finding. Iron, B12, or steroid support is by veterinary prescription only; never start a supplement on a guess about anemia.
Gut: sensitivity is a protocol, not a hunch
Loose stool in a Savannah is common and mostly managed, but only if it is measured. Score every stool on a 1-7 scale (1 is hard pellets, 4 is a log that holds shape, 7 is liquid) and record it 3 times a week for 4 weeks before changing anything. If the median score is 5 or worse, run a 6-8 week elimination trial: one novel protein, one carbohydrate, no treats, no table food, no dental chews, and a written list on the fridge. Responders stay on the trial 8 weeks past resolution, then challenge one food at a time over 7 days. Non-responders get a GI panel with B12 and folate, because chronic enteropathy in this breed often comes with low B12, and supplementation is by veterinary prescription. Feed 3-4 small meals a day rather than one large one, and keep the bowl at floor level to slow intake.
Four numbers to log at home
- Stool score: 1-7, 3 times a week, median over 4 weeks, written down.
- Weight: same scale monthly; 5% loss in 60 days triggers bloodwork, 10% triggers imaging.
- Sleeping respiratory rate: 30 breaths per minute is the line, counted 3 nights a week.
- Gum color: compare to a photo taken in daylight every 2 weeks; pale pink to white is a same-day call.
Hour-level red flags
These are triage numbers. They answer one question: drive now, call at opening, or book a routine slot.
| Signal | Threshold | Act within |
|---|---|---|
| Open-mouth breathing, blue or grey gums | Any, at rest | 0 h, go now |
| Collapse or hind-limb paralysis | Any episode | 0 h, go now |
| Vomiting plus no food | 12 h of vomiting, 24 h fasting | 4 h |
| Diarrhea | 6 or more stools in 12 h, or any blood | 6 h |
| PCV on recheck | Below 20%, or 5 points under baseline | 24 h |
Budget and cadence
Year 1 lands near 500-800 USD with echo, eye exam, DNA test, and 2 blood panels. Stable years run 300-520 USD. Cardiology consult 200-400 USD, ERG 250-450 USD, GI panel 120-240 USD, abdominal ultrasound 250-450 USD. A 6-8 week elimination trial costs more in time than money: 2-3 kg bags of a single novel protein run 60-110 USD each, and most cats need 2-3 bags to finish the trial. Track weight against a trend line such as /health/health-cat-weight-trend-chart/ so the 5% rule is arithmetic, not memory. For the echo protocol written out step by step, see /health/breed-maine-coon-heart-screen/; for toxins that cause sudden gut or neurological signs, check /tools/toxic/ before you wait.
First 12 months, 5 steps
- At 10-12 months, book echo, dilated eye exam, and blood draw in one 60-minute visit.
- Send the PK deficiency DNA test with the same blood sample and file the result with the PCV baseline.
- Start the stool log the week the cat arrives; 4 weeks of data beats 4 months of opinion.
- Set a monthly reminder for weight and a 3-night-a-week reminder for the respiratory count.
- At the 12-month review, compare wall thickness, left atrial ratio, and PCV to baseline before booking the next year.
Terms mentioned in this article
Frequently asked
Is the PK deficiency test worth doing if the cat seems fine?
Yes, once. Pyruvate kinase deficiency is inherited, silent for years, and a DNA test settles carrier status for life, which matters for breeding and for interpreting a low PCV later. Pair it with a baseline packed cell volume and reticulocyte count at 12 months so that any future drop of 5 points has something to be compared against.
How do I know whether loose stool is sensitivity or something worse?
Measure before you change food. Score every stool on a 1-7 scale 3 times a week for 4 weeks; a median of 5 or worse justifies a 6-8 week single-novel-protein trial with no treats and no table food. Weight loss, blood in the stool, vomiting, or a cat that stops eating moves the case to a vet visit with a GI panel, B12, and folate rather than another diet guess.
Can a DNA test clear a Savannah of heart disease?
No. A validated variant test covers some lines and some mutations only, so a negative result lowers statistical risk without clearing the cat. The echocardiogram remains the screening tool: wall thickness in millimeters, the left atrial to aortic ratio, and a trend across visits. That is why the calendar keeps a 12-month echo even after a clean panel.