bad news on Cookie's heart

[tanztanya]

I haven't been on the forum for quite a while, when i first got cookie i was always on here!! I thought I would give an update on cookie.

When we got her four years ago we found that she had a grade 2 heart murmer. She's now 8 and last week she had a really bad night and got us reallly worried!!! Cookie sat up ALL night and was breathing really heavily and it sounded like she was struggling. At about 6am she finally gave in and fell asleep and i rushed her to the vets. The vet done a xray and ultrasound and unfortunately it has showed that cookies heart is very enlarged and that there is fluid in her lungs. The vet has given her diaretic tablets and vetmedin as well as her fortekor so she has been on them for a week now and she is still looking very miserable.

Every night i usually take her out for a 45min walk and as she's unwell the vet said only take her out for 10mins and not to let her get excitable, but Cookie wants to go out and tugs the lead in the direction of her walk and she gets so excitable around us that she keeps having accidents!

She is going back in tomorrow to see if the fluid had clearer...then we'll know what to do next.

I was wondering if anyone has any advice?

thanks, Tanya

[Louise1823]

So sorry to hear about Cookie's heart Tanya - I know how worrying it is when you've been given that bad news.

Rex was diagnosed with an enlarged heart about 6 weeks ago after he had a really frightening fainting episode during his walk. He is only 2, and has already been started on Vetmedin and Frusemide to try to aid his heart as best as possible.

We arranged a visit to a cardiologist where they carried out an ECG and Ultrasound to determine the severity of the problem. Is this something that you could arrange for Cookie?

Before Rex had the more detailed ECG & Ultrasound tests (chest x-ray was the initial test which showed up the enlargement) I was a nervous wreck watching him and terrified to walk him incase it brought on another seizure.

Like Cookie he loves his walk and is really excitable, so we've cut his walks down to 15-20 minutes, once or twice a day - instead of one long 45-60 min walk. Im also really careful not to bring him out if its any way hot/humid out. I prefer to bring him in the early morning or late evening when the sun goes in as its much cooler then and less chance of overheating. I think your vet is definitely right to suggest keeping her walks brief enough for now.

I hope you get some good news tomorrow on whether or not the fluid has cleared, and hopefully the medication will make her feel more comfortable soon

[Margaret C]

No advice I'm afraid, I just wanted to say how sorry I am that Cookie is having such a bad time.

I am struggling with the same problem with Tyson, my 7 year old Japanese Chin. He is also on frusemide, fortekor and vetmedin.

On Sunday he collapsed after racing my other dogs through the back gate.

It is something I have experienced before with cavaliers with MVD. Careful management of your pet's lifestyle, & trying to prevent too much excitement & too much exercise is probably the best you can do.

Tyson has been my 'middle child'..... Not one of the youngest, not an oldie, and such a good little dog that he was sometimes a little overlooked.
He is getting lots of fuss now.

I do hope that you get better news for Cookie tomorrow.

[pippa]

No advice I'm afraid, but I wanted to wish all the best for Cookie

[Kate H]

I expect you're already doing the obvious things like raising Cookie's food and water dishes - dropping their head to eat or drink constricts their chest and makes breathing more difficult. Hope you get better news at the vet's tomorrow.

Kate, Oliver and Aled

[jasperpaw]

I am so sorry that you are going through this with Cookie, my thoughts are with you as I am going through a similar time with Jasper who is 9 1/2 and has to have an ECG later this week, Jasper`s heart is enlarged and there was fluid around it, he is on 1 Fortekor tablet a day and a 1/4 Fusimide ever other day, he still has a slight cough but does`nt get laboured breath, but like Cookie does get excitable at times and loves his walks, I take him out twice a day for about 20 mins at a time and he is all over the place on walks and his acting normal. Hope everything goes well.