Daisy and Her MVD

[Brian M]

Hi

A few questions pls

1) How often should Daisy go back to see her Cardiologist and Neurologist as a matter of course
2) As she was referred by her Vet to both Chestergates and North West Surgeons do we have to through
her Vets again or can we just now go straight to them as a pre-existing condition
3) As are now in a new insurance year with AXA and back to full cover do they deduct anther excess £75
off any further claims.
4) She has coughed 3x in two days so alarm bells are ringing I propose to make a Vet appointment for
tomorrow afternoon then phone NWSurgeons and see if Simon is available next Tues I am on hols till Wed
but will consider everything over the next 15 hours ,am I paranoid probaly yes .I really think it was just
something stuck in her throat and she was just having a little cough but I want to be prepared just in case
for Daisy's sake and mine .

I have reread all reports again for the tenth time and am thinking of dropping Zitac in favour of Tagament
which I believe is an improved version of Cimetidene anyway but not recognised by the BVA ,anyone any thoughts on this please.

And as I didnt really see eye to eye with her last neurologist have been reading up on Leahurst who have all the kit
needed for SM treatment MRI scanner ect neuro in charge Mr Peter Smith ,does anyone know him or seen him.
http://www.liv.ac.uk/sath/

http://www.liv.ac.uk/sath/services/neuro.htm

http://www.liv.ac.uk/sath/staff/petesmith.htm

[Sabby]

Brian

I can only answer a few of the questions.
Yes you will be charged £75 excess at the start of a new year. Harley just had his new year start in October and I have been charged excess again.

Ebony has a slight murmur and I take her back once a year to the cardiologist
I don’t have to go through my vets for a referral for the cardiologist; I was told you only need a referral the first time you go.

Never have heard of Tagament

Hope daisy is ok, but I know what you mean with being paranoid, I am also very good at being paranoid.

[Kate H]

Some answers to some of your questions!

My experience of Chestergates is that once you are a patient, you remain a patient; NW are probably the same, so you shouldn't need a new referral, though it is courteous to mention it to your vet. Unless there is a real change in Daisy's condition, I wouldn't think that you need to see neurologist/cardiologist for a routine check; if you have any queries or want to discuss changing medication, try phoning. Having said that, I do get my two checked by Simon every year (just a quick listen to update murmur level) - I get it done for free at the Cavalier Club championship show! If there is a Health Clinic near you, Simon will probably be there - you can find location and date from the Club website.

I would check out Daisy's cough with your vet first - it may be nothing to do with her heart. If it is heart-related, it is more likely to happen when she wakes up in the morning, when fluid has settled on the lungs overnight, and will become more persistent. The occasional cough could be anything! Although a cardiologist can be useful (if not essential) when diagnosing MVD, your ordinary vet should be competent to deal with symptoms - they spend a lot of time doing it! If your vet needs advice, he can ring Simon himself (or herself?) and discuss it as one vet to another.

Kate, Oliver and Aled

[Nicki]

There is no such drug as Tagament Brian. I think you mean TAGAMET.

If you look in the British National Formulary you will see that Tagamet IS Cimetidine, same as Zitac, so there is no benefit in changing over. Zitac is the veterinary version, this was licensed for gastric conditions, so the vets would be unable to prescribe Tagamet. If there is a veterinary preparation available, they have to prescribe that rather than the human preparation.

Tagamet® (produced by Chemidex) Prescription-only Medicine
Available as tablets, all green, ingredient cimetidine 200 mg 400 mg or 800 mg
Syrup, orange, cimetidine 200 mg/5 mL.


At one point we were able to obtain the syrup to make it easy to give the required dose but it was horrendously expensive.


I would arrange for an annual check with the cardiologist, to monitor her condition. Are there any reports of Kennel COugh in the area - the coughing may be something simple like that, so get the vet to check her over if she is still coughing.



The neurologist, I would keep in contact, but really to report any change.




Check your policy regarding payment of excesses as they all vary, but Sabby is right, generally you pay once per year per condition.

[lindylou]

hi
sorry to hear daisy has a cough louie had a realy bad cough and the vet gave him antibiotics a couple of weeks later the cough had gone.
happy new year to all of you's

[Karen and Ruby]

Hi Brian,

As you may know Charlie has MV Displasia. He is monitored closely by my Cardiac specialist vet- being that he is un insured for his heart I have to keep the costs low- I am very lucky that the head vet at my parent surgery is a cardiac specialist so I don't have to pay astronomical prices.
However we go back every 12 months - next visit being May 2012. He has a grade 6 murmor so I have a very close eye on him but so far there have been no changes in his heart with the scans we have had so far and unless I see any changes I'll stick to the annual check up.

If there are changes and/or his heart deterioates I will find a Cardiologist for him. Charlie had a cough last night too but It was just something irritating him. It is always at the back of my mind but if the exercise tollerance is still the same and the breathing is normal then no real need to worry.

[Chris and Katie pup]

Hi there, I was interested to read your reply as I seem to be in the same situation. My dear little Katie has just seen a cardiologist as her murmur has gone from a grade 3 in August to a 5/6 last week. She was not on meds until last week, following her fainting for the first time. All of a sudden her future looks bleak and I am devastated, Like you I am not covered in her insurance for her heart (due to me changing companies before I knew she had a murmur, It was put on her notes after cancelling insurance with Saga and before starting with Sainsburys, so at the time of joining Sainsburys the murmur was there. Note to all: if you are considering changing insurers either have a health check a month before the change, then if there is something wrong DO NOT CHANGE, or change while the dog is well, do not have a health check for at least a month after, because if any thing is written in the notes before the exclusion time is up you will NOT be covered for that ailment. ) Anyway, I also live in Essex and saw an excellent cardiologist at VRCC, he has told me Katie has a 5/6 MVD murmer, another murmur on the other side and her heart is 51% bigger than it should be. She is on Vetmedin, Frusemide, and Apresoline. Since starting the frusemide and Apresoline she has become more sleepy - is this supposed to happen? Before I was worried as she kept dashing about, which would bring about a collapse, now I am worried that she is deteriorating. I am encouraged that your Charlie is battling on. I feel so alone battling with this awful illness. I can't beleive it has come on so quickly. I wish I could do more for my beautiful little Katie.

Hi Brian,

As you may know Charlie has MV Displasia. He is monitored closely by my Cardiac specialist vet- being that he is un insured for his heart I have to keep the costs low- I am very lucky that the head vet at my parent surgery is a cardiac specialist so I don't have to pay astronomical prices.
However we go back every 12 months - next visit being May 2012. He has a grade 6 murmor so I have a very close eye on him but so far there have been no changes in his heart with the scans we have had so far and unless I see any changes I'll stick to the annual check up.

If there are changes and/or his heart deterioates I will find a Cardiologist for him. Charlie had a cough last night too but It was just something irritating him. It is always at the back of my mind but if the exercise tollerance is still the same and the breathing is normal then no real need to worry.

[Karen and Ruby]

Hi there, I was interested to read your reply as I seem to be in the same situation. My dear little Katie has just seen a cardiologist as her murmur has gone from a grade 3 in August to a 5/6 last week. She was not on meds until last week, following her fainting for the first time. All of a sudden her future looks bleak and I am devastated, Like you I am not covered in her insurance for her heart (due to me changing companies before I knew she had a murmur, It was put on her notes after cancelling insurance with Saga and before starting with Sainsburys, so at the time of joining Sainsburys the murmur was there. Note to all: if you are considering changing insurers either have a health check a month before the change, then if there is something wrong DO NOT CHANGE, or change while the dog is well, do not have a health check for at least a month after, because if any thing is written in the notes before the exclusion time is up you will NOT be covered for that ailment. ) Anyway, I also live in Essex and saw an excellent cardiologist at VRCC, he has told me Katie has a 5/6 MVD murmer, another murmur on the other side and her heart is 51% bigger than it should be. She is on Vetmedin, Frusemide, and Apresoline. Since starting the frusemide and Apresoline she has become more sleepy - is this supposed to happen? Before I was worried as she kept dashing about, which would bring about a collapse, now I am worried that she is deteriorating. I am encouraged that your Charlie is battling on. I feel so alone battling with this awful illness. I can't beleive it has come on so quickly. I wish I could do more for my beautiful little Katie.

Hi There Chris,

Charlie is slightly different to most Cavvies with MVD- his murmor was found at just 9 months old to be a grade 5- shocking yes but as he was a rescue there was nothing I could do about the insurance.
He was scanned strait away and found to have Mitral Valve Displasia rather than Mitral Valve Disease. The difference is that Charlie's is a birth defect that is quite rare in Cavvies and more often found in bigger dogs that would often have a valve replacement surgery. Charlie's heart is too small for such a surgery.

The end result for Charlie will be the same as those Cavvies with MVD as we know it in the breed. Heart failure.
He is only just 3 years-
He has no medication at present and just has the Vitamin E and Co-enzyme Q10 which are known to be natural blood thinners which hopefully means that the heart doesn't have to work as hard to pump. He is also kept thin and exercises a lot!


He is doing very well yes but I am also aware that it could change with the drop of a hat and that he could just as likely go in to cardiac arrest and pass tommorow.

How old is Katie?? It is very lonely to be in such a situation, get her on a diet asap even if you think she is an ok weight every gram can make a difference, get some good greens and raw veggies in her, stay away from salt and high sodium foods and give her gentle exercise that gets the blood pumping but doesnt exhaust her.

The meds that you have been given can keep dogs happy and well for many years but yes it does come on very quickly!

Take care xx