Congestive heart failure in dogs

[Pepipony]

My blind heeler, Dallas, had a hard time breathing last week, went to Vet, got abx, came home. Over weekend no improvement, went back, more abx, came home. 3 days later still no improvement, went back stronger abx plus a diuretic, still no improvement. Its been 12 days and there is no change at all. Third visit, after I grilled Vet, was told that Dallas was 'tying to get a touch of CHF'. This Vet is a peach but he will not euthanize for nothing and will keep up hope no matter what. I do not want to put Dallas down, cant even think about it, however I am beginning to wonder. He is only 12 and 2 weeks ago was fine, tore into his Christmas kong like he was a pup LOL Now he is hasslin all the time. He gets so fatigued so quick that he wont even stand to eat/drink and usually lays next to the water bowl so he doesnt have to get up. He is perky, ask him if he wants a treat and he appears, ask if he wants to go for a ride and he's off to find the 4 wheeler LOL

I just dont know what to do. I dont know how long to hope the meds will work. I dont know if my Vet is placating me or being honest. Night before second visit Dallas gave me that ' I am just too tired to do this anymore mom' look , but in the morning was happy again. Anyone deal with CHF? Anyone have a crystal ball I can use?

 

[laughingllama75]

Hi,

I have a 10 year old dog that has CHF. He was real bad at the beginning, but my vet is wonderful in the aspect of .........if he is not sure, he is not afraid to refer to someone who has more experience with that particular problem. He sent me to a wonderful vet by the name of Dr. Sobel at Concord Area Emergency Clinic (he owns the place, but is world renowned for his treatment of CHF dogs) here in NH. If possible, see if your vet would consult. He has been wonderful with Pip, has him on 2 different meds (enalapril and lasix) 4 times a day and Pip is back to his old self, runing and playing with the other dogs. He is no longer coughing all night and no longer drinking all the water and vomiting bile. His gums are normal and his tongue is not blue. He feels great.....at least he seems to, as far as the heart in concerned. My vet thought he had about 3-4 months to live comfortably, back in August. Dr Sobel got him on different meds and better schedule and says he could live another 3 years. Unfortunatly Pip now has a tumor growing in his sinuses, and he will cross the bridge long before 3 years, but for now he is happy and feeling pretty good.

The big thing is, because of the heart condition, you cant have your dog under anethesia because his heart will slow down and then stop. So be careful with making decisions on any surgeries until you talk with a specialist. best of luck to you and your dog, I will say a prayer for Dallas. I was not sure what to do, but glad I got a second opinion and gave Pip another chance.

Alicia

 

[jess]

Trust your gut instinct it's rarely wrong and do what you feel is best for him. Not telling you to put him down but quality of life is far more important then quanity. CHF in it's later stages is not fun for the animal and certainly not fun for the owner to watch. Again not telling you it's time just telling you to go with what you truely FEEL is right for both of you.

 

[Pepipony]

Thank you guys, I think we will try some more things, will contact Alicias Vet and/or bring Dallas to a larger clinic. My Vet is great, but we are rural and maybe he doesnt see this as much as another Vet would. Again, thanks!

 

[Nemesis]

There is a group on yahoogroups that deal with CHF in dogs. Its a wonderful caring group who can offer insight and help for you with all aspects of carign for a dog with CHF. Here is the link if you want to join.

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/CanineC...veHeartFailure/

it isnt showing the entire link. Anyhow if you do a search in yahoo groupls www.yahoogroups.com this is the list you are looking for CanineCongestiveHeartFailure

 

[Just Us N Texas]

Many years ago, I had a very beloved doberman that had CHF, and I am sorry to say I only kept her another 3-4 months. She was on meds from the vet., and at that time he said no hope. He also put her on a special diet of rice cooked with chicken broth, or boiled liver broth. He said also a baked potato with no salt. It seems that the important thing was the diet plus meds. Try keeping Dallas from eating anything with salt for a couple of weeks and see if he doesn't improve. My Ginger did for those few months.

 

[Pepipony]

Thanks everyone. I just joined that Yahoo group :aktion033: We have an appointment again tomorrow. I do have a hard time changing his feed since he had a perineal hernia ( a pocket formed at the anus causing impaction) fixed on one side, I am terrified that any change would cause an impaction and mess up the other side or re-damage the repair.

 

[whitney]

Yep Keighley my 14 yr old Yorkie is a H/D diet dog. We tried the lasix made her worse. I discovered she had a rotten tooth put her on amoxcillin for 3 days and mainteance dose of 1ml once a day for 2 weeks. She was back to playing. However she has gum disease so everytime an old tooth starts decaying shes back on the amoxcillin.

I WOULD CHECK FOR ROTTEN TEETH, ones that wiggle or breath that smells bad. Keighleys came on suddenly just like your dogs did.

I feed her H/D dog food. I also cook for her just because she loves my cooking....vet precribed receipe rice, ground chuck, pureed green beans and carrots, and an egg shell. I also supplement with ground flaxseed, Q-10, hawthorn berry, vit E, and Vit A. Make sure that all the treats are LOW SALT. Also a dehumidifier helps their breathing.

 

[Pepipony]

I am embarrassed to say this, so let me say that I have Lyme disease, its a bacteria and it is making a nice home in my brain. I was a Vet tech in a previous life so 'know' all this stuff but the Lyme has burned those bridges I can read or be told something and it will click but I cannot for the life of me process the info otherwise.

k, that being said

: Dallas has urine incontinence at times and needed to wear a diaper ( male dog, cotton with a feminine pad) and developed a nasty rash that developed into a sore. I never had kids, or babysat so never thought about the rash. I think that is why Vet put him on 2 abx, thinking he had endocarditis, plus the diuretic. So infection being the starter is probably bang on. It kills me to think that I did this to him. Vet knows about my Lyme ( since me and knowing that it is here, he is seeing a lot of it in animals) but I dont think he 'gets' how it effects me. I look fine, must be fine.

We have an appt for tomorrow ( think I said that already LOL) and I will ask for Dallas to be ultrasounded and maybe a change in rxs. Will go from there, if Doc doesnt make me happy I will take Dallas into the big city :lol: I fear that they would want to keep him for observation, being blind and me being his seeing eye human, a new place freaks him out. Just hope we gets this figured out before his heart gives out.

 

[whitney]

Lasix gave Keighley the incontinence too. She NEVER did it before and the minute I pulled her off that drug it STOPPED and hasn't happened since. That was almost 2 months ago she was wetting her bed every night while on that drug.

 

[Pepipony]

Dallas' incontinence is from the hernia repair surgery. Cant be helped :no:

 

[laughingllama75]

HI,

Something to add here......

Pip had REAL problems adjusting to the lasix. He had to pee literally every 2 hours. That lasted about 3 full weeks. I thought at first I would lose my mind, I was getting no sleep and coming home during the day to let him out constantly. But, It DID stop. Like I said, about 3 weeks and he was back to pretty much normal. Every once in a while (and it's not even once a week) he asks to go out in the night.

He is also in the HD food, dry and canned. I cook a chicken breast once a week for him (he is 9 lbs.) and give him his pills in that, so he actualy looks forward to pill time, LOL. OK, just thought I'd add that. Were you able to get an appt for a second opinion, and did you get the info I sent you?

Alicia

 

[flamingstar]

My 7 month old golden retreiver died of chf. When I got him from the breeder at 8 weeks old, her vet said oh it is only a small murmur. That did not concern me as my daughter outgrew her murmur when she was a baby.

I took my pup to my vet, and he told me that he was bad, really bad. We enjoyed 5 wonderful months with him. Being sweet, and adorable as all pups are, and of course becoming extremely attached. He had a heart attack and died on January 1 2006. My baby was only 7 months old. I miss him.

The breeder had moved out of town, and when I told her after I received his papers in the mail she basically said oh well too bad. The kennel club did NOT like to hear that. I don't know what was done, but I do know she isn't part of the kennel club anymore, heck I don't even think she breeds.

Flamingtar

Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. His was very bad, and at such a young age. Follow the diet the vet gives, and the medication, and you will probably get more years from your baby.

 

[minisaremighty]

The breeder had moved out of town, and when I told her after I received his papers in the mail she basically said oh well too bad. The kennel club did NOT like to hear that. I don't know what was done, but I do know she isn't part of the kennel club anymore, heck I don't even think she breeds.

Well that was obviously NOT a good breeder! I had my most favorite cat in the world die of CHF at one year old and when I told the breeder and provided the necropsy report, she immediately offered me another kitten of my choosing and stopped breeding that pair (both had checked out healthy before breeding).

 

[appypintolady]

I had a Boston Terrier with this, she lived for about 8 mos with treatment until one day, she turned blue and passed out and almost died, she also had an enlarged heart and a heart based tumor. That was the day that I knew that I could not let her suffer anymore.

 

[Pepipony]

Alicia, yes I did , thanks Vet put Dallas back on a higher dose of Furosamide ( generic Lasix) gave hom a few shots, pain, abx and something to boost his appetite. He is still quite blue, quite fluid filled and breathing hard. However when I asked if he wanted to go for a ride he got all sparky, so guess that will be the test. He did an odd thing however this evening, he came walking to me but with his head cocked and drunk looking. Will call Vet in a.m. I will be taking him to another clinic in the city, just need to make sure they will have a cardiologist there that day as its a long drive. Dont want them to look at him , shake their heads and tell me to come back

:

I do thank everyone for their answers and support, cant tell you how much it means. I lost my ol show gelding 3 years ago, didnt think I would survive that. Dallas is my bud, before he lost his sight he was with me constantly. Went to town, went riding, whatever, he was there. I have come to terms with this, least as much as I can. Will give it some time so long as he isnt suffering with anything more than this heavy breathing that I hope ends soon.

 

[runamuk]

My blind heeler, Dallas, had a hard time breathing last week, went to Vet, got abx, came home. Over weekend no improvement, went back, more abx, came home. 3 days later still no improvement, went back stronger abx plus a diuretic, still no improvement. Its been 12 days and there is no change at all. Third visit, after I grilled Vet, was told that Dallas was 'tying to get a touch of CHF'. This Vet is a peach but he will not euthanize for nothing and will keep up hope no matter what. I do not want to put Dallas down, cant even think about it, however I am beginning to wonder. He is only 12 and 2 weeks ago was fine, tore into his Christmas kong like he was a pup LOL Now he is hasslin all the time. He gets so fatigued so quick that he wont even stand to eat/drink and usually lays next to the water bowl so he doesnt have to get up. He is perky, ask him if he wants a treat and he appears, ask if he wants to go for a ride and he's off to find the 4 wheeler LOL

I just dont know what to do. I dont know how long to hope the meds will work. I dont know if my Vet is placating me or being honest. Night before second visit Dallas gave me that ' I am just too tired to do this anymore mom' look , but in the morning was happy again. Anyone deal with CHF? Anyone have a crystal ball I can use?

Go with your gut........I know that this can come on very quickly and not respond well to treatment.....I watched a friends dog go through this.................If he is able to enjoy life even for brief moments and isn't suffering then I would keep with the treatments and take a watch and wait attitude. He will let you know or will go on his own under his own terms.................

((((((((((HUGS)))))))))

 

[Pepipony]

He died in his sleep last night. I had decided yesterday to give it one more week. He was breathing just way too hard and meds just didnt seem to help. However he was his sparky self, as much as he could be. He got to go to town w/me yesterday and then we went off on the 4 wheeler, his 2 most favorite things. He also had some chicken tenders and livers for lunch. He knew he was loved and he will be missed.

 

[flamingstar]

I am so sorry for your loss. But to die in your sleep, who could ask for better than that.

Remeber him in your heart and see him in your dreams and know that now he is running and jumping and chasing rabbit with not a worry of tiring or getting out of breath.

Flamingstar

 

[whitney]

When my keighley leaves me I pray to GOD she goes just the way your Dallas did. I always save a week of my vacation in case she gets bad so I can be with her. Bless you and your Dallas.