Pamela Warrington
Active member
Hi Friends,
I have been a through a great deal of hurt and frustration, just seeking some light. Isabelle is going on 8 years old in June. 3 weeks ago starting April 2ND we went for a routine check up with her vet. But during the visit for the first time my vet heard a murmur, he said it sounded like a 3 or 4 grade, and wanted to do an Xray and Ultrasound. So with sad news she did have an enlarged heart and MVD with some regurgitation. But rather than that she had no other symptoms. My Dr wanted to start her on a very low dose of therapy meds which was 1/2 Enalapril 5mg once a day, and 1 tablet of Vetmedin 1.25mg twice a day. And sent us over to a Cardio specialist. We went to the Cardio Dr on April 9TH had an ultrasound she confirmed what my vet said. Isabelle was not in any heart failure and no signs of fluid on her lungs, but she moved her up to a stage 4 murmur with MVD with regurgitation. She then took her off the Vetmedin, and upped the Enalapril to 2.5 mg 1 1/2 tablets twice a day, along with Lasix 20 mg was half tablet twice a day. After that apt Tuesday came around and Isabelle started to breath a little harder and it seemed her heart beat faster. Then Wed was the same I started to get worried, made phone calls. And by Thursday we were up at the Specialty Hospital where the Cardio Dr worked, but she was off that night. They decided to keep her, because her breathing rate was 60, should be between 1-30 no more than 40 when sleeping or relaxing. So they kept her overnight. I picked her up the next afternoon, but really had no answeres to why she was laboring so hard, but said she had slight fluid from the X-rays they did, and decided to put her back on Vetmedin 2.5 mg 1/2 tablet twice a day, along with 1 tablet of Lasix, and continue with Enalapril 2.5 mg 1 1/2 tablets twice a day. We went home that night, and again her breathing was the same, so by morning, I decided to call my vet, he suggested I go back to the dose we thought she was doing best on. Now today I went back down to the Cardio for a recheck, and was surprised at the way I was treated, no compassion, no sympathy, just if you're not going to follow my rules, then maybe you need to find another Dr, she said I was frustrating her, with tears streaming from my eyes, not understanding why I was treated so horrible, I was confused, this is my baby and I only want what is best for her, She also has SM and is on Gabapentin twice a day and omperzole 0.6 cc once a day. She is the sweetest dog, but I feel bad because she still has not felt better like she first did, when my vet treated her with the lower doses. Tonight I gave her the Vetmedin at 5pm and all the other pills at 6pm and around 7 or so she started with the fast breathing and I just do not know what is going on. I will be getting a second opinion from another referral that my vet is sending me to. He is also a Board Certified Specialist in Murrieta so I am praying God will intervene and Isabelle will get the right meds and start feeling better. Her eyes look like she is loaded on drugs, It just breaks my heart. Any words of wisdom or encouragement would help.
Blessings,
Pamela
I have been a through a great deal of hurt and frustration, just seeking some light. Isabelle is going on 8 years old in June. 3 weeks ago starting April 2ND we went for a routine check up with her vet. But during the visit for the first time my vet heard a murmur, he said it sounded like a 3 or 4 grade, and wanted to do an Xray and Ultrasound. So with sad news she did have an enlarged heart and MVD with some regurgitation. But rather than that she had no other symptoms. My Dr wanted to start her on a very low dose of therapy meds which was 1/2 Enalapril 5mg once a day, and 1 tablet of Vetmedin 1.25mg twice a day. And sent us over to a Cardio specialist. We went to the Cardio Dr on April 9TH had an ultrasound she confirmed what my vet said. Isabelle was not in any heart failure and no signs of fluid on her lungs, but she moved her up to a stage 4 murmur with MVD with regurgitation. She then took her off the Vetmedin, and upped the Enalapril to 2.5 mg 1 1/2 tablets twice a day, along with Lasix 20 mg was half tablet twice a day. After that apt Tuesday came around and Isabelle started to breath a little harder and it seemed her heart beat faster. Then Wed was the same I started to get worried, made phone calls. And by Thursday we were up at the Specialty Hospital where the Cardio Dr worked, but she was off that night. They decided to keep her, because her breathing rate was 60, should be between 1-30 no more than 40 when sleeping or relaxing. So they kept her overnight. I picked her up the next afternoon, but really had no answeres to why she was laboring so hard, but said she had slight fluid from the X-rays they did, and decided to put her back on Vetmedin 2.5 mg 1/2 tablet twice a day, along with 1 tablet of Lasix, and continue with Enalapril 2.5 mg 1 1/2 tablets twice a day. We went home that night, and again her breathing was the same, so by morning, I decided to call my vet, he suggested I go back to the dose we thought she was doing best on. Now today I went back down to the Cardio for a recheck, and was surprised at the way I was treated, no compassion, no sympathy, just if you're not going to follow my rules, then maybe you need to find another Dr, she said I was frustrating her, with tears streaming from my eyes, not understanding why I was treated so horrible, I was confused, this is my baby and I only want what is best for her, She also has SM and is on Gabapentin twice a day and omperzole 0.6 cc once a day. She is the sweetest dog, but I feel bad because she still has not felt better like she first did, when my vet treated her with the lower doses. Tonight I gave her the Vetmedin at 5pm and all the other pills at 6pm and around 7 or so she started with the fast breathing and I just do not know what is going on. I will be getting a second opinion from another referral that my vet is sending me to. He is also a Board Certified Specialist in Murrieta so I am praying God will intervene and Isabelle will get the right meds and start feeling better. Her eyes look like she is loaded on drugs, It just breaks my heart. Any words of wisdom or encouragement would help.
Blessings,
Pamela