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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,031
Registered: ‎03-19-2010

Re: Dog has congestive heart failure

My pomeranian had heart problems and was on lasix.  My whole day was spent trying to keep her from peeing on everything.  She would pee buckets full and could not hold it.  She was swollen so tight.  They wanted to keep increasing the lasix and I had her put put down.  It is a sad situation but I felt she had suffered enough.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,179
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Dog has congestive heart failure

[ Edited ]

We think ours passed from a heart attack (vet said this).  Signs were dog panting  and coughing off and on.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 876
Registered: ‎04-05-2018

Re: Dog has congestive heart failure

Did your dog die at home or was it at the vet.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 23,835
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Dog has congestive heart failure

@KACEE1115  So sorry to hear the news of Max having heart issues.  I know how troubling it is when our  Pups are not well.  Thank fully with Medication Max very well will live out the rest of his life with you.  You are a good Momma and because you take care of him so, he is getting the best care he could get and will feel much better when the meds  take hold. 

 

My 4 year Old Golden ZaZu is going in today( this afternoon)  for possibly a pace maker.  He was diagnosed with  a heart murmur last month  and then had a electrocardiograph done by a cardiologist for dogs who found no heart disease ( thankfully!) BUT, he has LOW BLOOD PRESSURE.

 

 Occasionally ZaZu will out of the blue  get weak and not be able to go up stairs etc....it is so scary when he has an episode of the low blood pressure!  Then the next day he will seem fine....like himself!   I never know when he will have an EPISODE... so I worry taking him on walks and such as then I would be far from home with a dog who may faint or lay down and can not walk.  The pace maker will keep his blood pressure constant so he has no episodes of the low pressure.

 

We are taking ZaZu this afternoon to the cardiologist who will decide if he wants to do this right away or later.  I almost want to gave it done now because when he has days where he feels bad I worry so!🙁

 

Did not mean to high jack your thread, but, since we are both sharing heart issues with our pups, I just you to know I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL.  ((Hugs)) to you. 🙂

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,970
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Dog has congestive heart failure


@January121 wrote:

@KACEE1115 wrote:

 My 10-year-old little Shorkey, Max, started coughing a few days after his grooming, and I suspected it might be kennel cough although I had never heard it before. Took him to the vet, only to find out that he has congestive heart failure.   He is now on meds and has to return for another x-ray and blood work to see if the meds are working.  Is anyone familiar with this? 😢

Spoiler
 

@KACEE1115 ..... if he didn’t have the cough before the grooming do you think the groomer did something to cause this to happen? .... congestive heart failure can be caused in people & animals if fluid or food accidentally goes down the throat into the lungs instead of the stomach etc., ... I hope Max recovers quickly 😍


____________________________________________________

 

@January121, if food or fluid gets into the lung via the trachea, that causes aspiration pneumonia, not congestive heart failure.  Congestive heart failure has several different causes, most of them having to do with primary problems with the heart muscle itself.  


* Freedom has a taste the protected will never know *
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,970
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Dog has congestive heart failure

@KACEE1115, as a cardiac nurse with more years experience than I will admit to (LOL!) be reassured that the problem didn't arise from the grooming.  Congestive heart failure has several different causes (in humans) such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, valve problems, or cardiomyopathy (virus attacking the heart).  My understanding is that in dogs the most common cause of congestive heart failure is a problem with one of the heart valves or an infection that attacks the heart.

 

The coughing is a symptom of congestive heart failure.  When the heart chamber can't pump the blood out into the system, fluid "backs up" into the lungs, so coughing & some labored breathing may occur.  The incidence of coughing a few days after grooming would probably just be coincidental & would have happened even if you had not had him groomed.  

 

Good to know that Max is on meds.  Those meds are very important since they are to help improve the efficacy of the heart in terms of pumping &  to remove excess fluid so the heart doesn't have to work so hard.    

 

Also good to know that he will be having an x-ray, since that will give the vet some information as to how much fluid might has cleared out of the lungs.  Many other posters have responded so that you know other pups have been diagnosed with congestive heart failure & know that it isn't a rare condition in dogs so the vet should be fairly adept at treating Max.  Sending hugs to both you and Max! 


* Freedom has a taste the protected will never know *