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URGENT advice wanted - heart failure :(.

Pringle

Warren Veteran
Hello Everyone,
Not been on here in a while, been moving house etc and been very busy.

Benji has been back and forward to the vet for a few months now with fast movement when breathing, vet took an xray and then again a few weeks later and noticed his heart had enlarged by about 30% :(. (Last xray was about two weeks ago).

Benji is on Furosemide 1.2ml twice daily. I took him to the vet yesterday about tea time as his breathing seemed a lot worse and was almost like his head was jumping? If that makes sense. The vet injected his vein in his ear with the meds to drain the fluid of his heart, after about 5mins his heart rate dropped a lot. His ear never bled though which is another sign the bloods not getting around his body (just to main organs). He also gave benji a heart medicine (tablet) which he's to get one every night, benj meant to be going back next thurs for a check.. But today he's back to the *head banging* and breathing a lot faster... I don't know what to do, I know if I take him to the vet they will prob want to pts, I don't want to see him suffer I obviously want the best for my boy but he's still eating dandidion leafs happily, don't think he's touched his food this morning, and he still seems alert.
I just don't know what to do. Does anyone have any advice on this sort of thing? I really don't want him suffering, I hate seeing him like this :(. The vet did prepare me for the worse and said his heart might have enough and he may just pass away, so now everytime I go out I'm worried he's gone :(.

Advice is greatly appreciated :( xx
 
I'm sorry to hear that Benji is so poorly :cry:

It sounds like he has congestive heart failure :? it's a tricky thing to manage. I think if you are concerned again today about his breathing and heart rate that you need to contact your vet and take him back in, perhaps an increase or change in his heart medication will be what he needs, sometimes just tweaking the medicines can help a little bit for a little longer, but sadly his little heart may not be able to manage with this disease indefinitely. You do not have to agree to pts unless you are comfortable doing so, this is your decision no one elses. I would pop him back and see if your vet can make him more comfortable again today, discuss his medications and options with you and give you more time to think about how you want to proceed.

Sorry again about Benji. Hope he feels better soon x
 
Is he having his diuretic via injection ? This is often essential for a Bun in CCF.

Do you know what the 'tablet' medication is called ?
 
Thanks prettylupin x

He's having it orally Jane, my partner knows how to inject though as vet showed him before, do you think injecting it will be better? The tablet is fortekor he's getting 1/4 at night xx
 
I find that if the Bun is in CCF oral meds appear to be less effective.

How much does Bun weigh and what dose of diuretic is he on ?

Is the Fortekor the 2.5mg tab ?
 
He's on 1.2ml twice daily (was only once daily until he was at vet yesterday and he put it up to twice daily) I'm not too sure on the tablet have had to pop out to shop will check as soon as I get back x

EDIT benji is 2.2kg xx
 
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I know Donna's (donnamt)'s Pearl suffered an enlarged heart, she may be able to offer you some advice of what Pearl was perscribed which made her more comforable?

Thinking of Benji x
 
Was just going to suggest Donna myself. I do hope things look up for him. I have a bun with heart problems myself and know what a worry it can be xxx
 
I ended up taking Benj to vet to be seen as he started 'squeeking' a little, Jim the vet said his heart beat sounded good and although the heart is enlarged he's not convinced this is all to do with his heart, he told me to continue the diuretic tonight and tomorrow morning and he's to go back tomorrow at 1.30pm to see if theirs any improvement, Jim gave him meds at vet for infection, think one of them was a steroid. Can't remember had myself in such a state :(!

Fingers crossed for him. Even if he doesn't get 'better' if he's more comfortable I'm happy. He's still munching away on treats and dandilions and veg etc and is 'bright' so will see how he goes.

Thanks for all advice will update soon xx

He's not to get heart tablet tonight as jim wants to see if the injection he got helps any first x

Jane the tablets are 2.5mg :) x
 
i do feel for you...must be such a worry but sounds like you are doing all you can and most importantaly keeping him comortable. Hope the injection helps x
 
my vet used vetmedin along side fortekor and a diruetic with pearl its really made a huge difference for a while :wave::wave:

sending loads and loads of vibes xxxx
 
After that little good spell Benj is back to breathing bad ( the body jumping) :(. I really don't know what more to do. :(. He is still eating, drinking etc... I just don't know what to do :(. He's going back tomorrow at 1pm do I wait until then..... :(! Do I give him his diuretic at 8.30pm and see how he goes :( I just don't know :( xx
 
my vet used vetmedin along side fortekor and a diruetic with pearl its really made a huge difference for a while :wave::wave:

sending loads and loads of vibes xxxx

Thanks Donna, will see what vet says. I just don't want him suffering but Its hard as he's still eating etc.. I just don't know... :(:(:( xx
 
Thanks Donna, will see what vet says. I just don't want him suffering but Its hard as he's still eating etc.. I just don't know... :(:(:( xx

its torture hun i know :cry::cry: but i think after about 14 days on the fortekor alone pearl acted like she was totally well again and the vet was very shocked by the size that her heart had been two months earlier. then when the fortekor stopped working so well she introduced the vetmedin which in my opinion was a total miracle for a while.

give the drugs a couple of weeks to kick in hun, if they are going to work they will but if they have no effect you will know when its time to say good night.

im sorry that you've been struck by this but Pearl managed very well for a good 9 months from the first sign of illness. her heart was so enlaged by the end it killed me watching her but she never once looked sad or went off her food :love:

people reasured me heart failure is not painful it just takes away the breathe and makes them more tired but not suffering :)
 
Thank you Donna, the vet told me not to give him the fortekor tonight to see if the injection he gave changes anything, I don't know whether or not to phone him and say he's back to way he was and should I give him the tablet. I hate seeing benji like this :( he does look kinda sad when he's breathing fast, :(. He's normally a bun who's binkying all over the place but since this started I don't think he's binkyd once :(.

That's reassuring to know the meds helped Pearl, I'm glad she became better for a while hun. Its horrible aint it :(.

I really hope he doesn't suffer :(, I don't want to be cruel to him, but I want to give him the best chance.

I'm sat worrying so much about him and scared to check him incase he's gotten worse.. This is awful :(.
Thanks for the advice and reassurance Donna, its really helped xx


its torture hun i know :cry::cry: but i think after about 14 days on the fortekor alone pearl acted like she was totally well again and the vet was very shocked by the size that her heart had been two months earlier. then when the fortekor stopped working so well she introduced the vetmedin which in my opinion was a total miracle for a while.

give the drugs a couple of weeks to kick in hun, if they are going to work they will but if they have no effect you will know when its time to say good night.

im sorry that you've been struck by this but Pearl managed very well for a good 9 months from the first sign of illness. her heart was so enlaged by the end it killed me watching her but she never once looked sad or went off her food :love:

people reasured me heart failure is not painful it just takes away the breathe and makes them more tired but not suffering :)
 
i promise if these drugs work you will see binkys again :love::love::love:

at the end pearl still did head binkies for brekkie :D:D

just hang in there, pearl was on the wrong medication for two months in heartfailure and still outlived all expectations :D
 
Thanks so much Donna you have made me feel better, he's been on meds since april/may time :( now they know its got to do with his heart I hope something can be done. I've just given him his diuretic, I phoned Jim (must be getting annoyed at me for this weekend haha) he said to leave the tablet tonight as he wants to see what he's like tomorrow and then see about the tablet. Its so hard :( because I kinda wonder if I don't give him the tablet and he gets worse.... Ahhh.. I need to go with vet tho :(.

Thanks again Donna. Xx
 
one night wont make a difference i dont think, my vet said it would be 7-14 days before any effect would be seen so one little pill on its own wont really do any work unless its a continuous treatment.

knowing whats wrong and getting the right treatment is half the battle won, we know they wont get better but we can prepare for the day we let them go to sleep xxxxx
 
Thank you Donna, will see what the vet says tomorrow about him. its just watching him struggle that hurts so much :(. Thanks for all your advice and support its been great xx
 
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