Cincy Has Dialated Cardiomyopathy -Update 2/16/08

[Cincy'sMom]

Or in more simple terms, an enlarged heart.

A few days last week Cincy was coughing a bit, and even though she was trying to make herself sick, she would never empty her stomach, but just cough up flem. So we called the vet and they wanted to see her.

After listening to her heart and lungs, the vet didn't hear anything, but wanted to do an X-ray to be sure everything was okay. Lucky he did! The heart is suppose to take up an area, roughly 3 rib widths apart, whereas Cincy's is about 3 3/4. Her heart is also sitting lower then normal, so it is putting some pressue on the diaphram.

The good news is we caught it early. Reading online, dogs often aren't diagnosed with DCM until they expereince symptoms of heart failure, making the prognosis realtively grim. Cincy situation is better and that is what I keep telling myself.

What happens with DCM, is that the heart walls thin out and the heart expands. As the chambers stretch, the valves can no longer completely close, and the dog develops a heart murmer. As the blood is pushed less and less effectively through the body, they develop pulmonary edema, and other issues.

Since the vert did not hear anything in her heart (no murmur), and her lungs are mostly clear, it seems we caught this very early. What happens now depends mostly on Cincy's reaction to medication.

She is now on two drugs, a diuretic to help her body remove excess fluids, and and ACE-inhibitor, which will help her blood flow better. At the this point, the vet feels there is no need to limit her activity. She will go back to the vet in a month to see how she is reacting, and if the size of her heart has decreased. At this time, he will mostly likely start her on a third medicine (which I did not write down the name of). Our vet has been using this course of treatment for about 4 years now (although the third drug was just recently approved by the FDA, God love Canada!), with good success.

So, for now we are parying and waiting. Of course, Cincy hasn't changed a bit. She is her usual, active, tennis ball chasing self. She had a blast playing in the snow today, and all three dogs, helped me walk the Chrismas Cards to the mailbox yesterday. As with every health challenge she has faced in her 6 short years, she is the postive carefree puppy she has always been!

Please keep our baby girl in your prayers.

[lizbud]

On absolutely ,I will keep Cincy in my prayers. :( I hope Cincy stays
her happy, carefree self for many more years to come.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Thoughts and prayers are going out from Florida for Cincy and all the family. I hope she's going to be okay. Thank goodness you caught it so early.

[Freedom]

Prayers for Cincy and hugs to all of you!

[joycenalex]

oh yeah prayers for cincy, and you all

[k9krazee]

Oh Cincy! I'm so glad you guys caught it early!

The beautiful girl will be in my thoughts and prayers!!
((hugs))

[robinh]

I am so glad your vet caught this so early. What are the medicines the vet prescribed? Max takes a medication because the vet heard a heart murmur. Since he's been on it, his health has improved dramatically and no more murmur.

[captain]

So glad you caught it early, and that she is on medication to help make her alllllllllll better.

{{{gentle hugs}}}} to Cincy - kisses darlin :)

[Cinder & Smoke]

Hi God ~

Gots anudder VIP Request fur Miz Cincy - our Findlay Buddie ~~~
Her pump is gettin too big - White Coat sez dat's a problemo!

Mom Amy, Daddy Ralph, anna GranFolks are all wurried - as is mosta Pet Talk. :(
Treatment has started, so we figger da Purrayers otta start, too.

We'll be burnin da Purrayer Kandilz inna winder 24/7; and added Cincy onna Purrayer Kard.
Expect ta hear a lil ReMynder inna evening Purrayers.

Paleeze help Cincy respond to da Meds - that'll be a nice *fix*.
Let us know if You need any more support frumma Cheering Section.

Oh, and God, kan You send sum {{{God'sHugs}}} down fur Amy & Ralph -
that'll help 'em to feel better.

THANKS, God!
/s/ the Prayer Pups

[shais_mom]

I've been waiting for this thread since I got your email.
BIG PRAYERS ON THE WAY for SWEET CINCY...

If she's on a diuretic is she going to have to have outies more than normal?
kisses to the sweet girl.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry to hear this:( but I'm glad that it was caught early. I hope that the meds will help her and that she'll be able to live a long happy and healthy life. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent her way.

[wolf_Q]

I'm very sorry to hear this. I will keep Cincy in my thoughts. I'm glad you caught it early.

[Cincy'sMom]

Thanks everybody. It is always in the back of my mind now, but seeing her be so well, Cincy, makes it a little easier to realize there is no sense in worrying too much. She is going to live life to the fullest for as long as she can!

Robin- she is on Furosemide and Enalapril right now. I'm glad to hear Max is doing well and the meds have helped him!

Staci- The diruetic will make her more thirsty, and need more trips outside. Ralph is off work now until the 2nd of January, so we will get some feel of how much more. Once he goes back to work, I will most lkiely start going home for lunch, so she shouldn't have to hold it for more then 4 hours at a time. Most likely we will keep all the dogs in the kitchen so that if she does have an accident there is no carpet, but more room for her to not have to lay in it, like in a kennel. If those plans don't work, then we will look at diapers, or other plans. Over the weekend I didn't notice too many more trips outside, so I think we will be okay.

[ramanth]

Poor Cincy girl! So glad you guys caught it early. *hugs* and prayers that the meds help. :)

[4 Dog Mother]

Amy, as I told you last night we all are worried about Cincy. But she has had other problems and come out fine with them. You once said that you are glad you picked her from the litter because someone else may not have taken good enough care or noticed some of her problems early enough. You and Ralph are the best "Parents" she could have. She is a fighter so I have no doubt she will come through this fine too and live a long happy life.

And if you find she has to go out too much while you two are at work, we can keep her during the week - what's one more dog in a nine dog household? She can just join Snoopy in his frequent trips out - Christy won't mind at all having another dog around!

[anna_66]

Amy I'm glad to see you've finally posted about your Cincy. I've been waiting.

It's great that Ralph is going to be there to keep a watch on her and see what she needs.

As you already know i'm keeping her and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

Lots of hugs and kisses to the furkids!

[Randi]

Amy, I'm sorry to hear that Cincy has health problems. :( I do hope the medicine will take care of it, and she will have many happy years with you.

Sending lots of positive thoughts and kisses to her - and hugs to you.

[chocolatepuppy]

Cincy will be in my prayers. Thank goodness it was caught early.

[pitc9]

{{{HUGS}}} and prayers to you and Cincy.

I'm glad you caught this early!

[Ginger's Mom]

This is the first time I have gotten a chance to see this thread. I will be adding more prayers to the already long list of prayers that are being said for that sweet little girl.

[kimlovescats]

I'm sorry to hear about Cincy's condition, but thankful that you were able to find it in time! I hope the meds work well for her!

Kim

[luvofallhorses]

i am so sorry. :( Cincy, you and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers. please keep us updated. (((HUGS)))

[Cincy'sMom]

Thanks for the continued thoughts everyone. Cincy has been on the medicine for 4 days now, and seems to be doing well (in other words, no changes, except she doesn't seem to be coughing).

[cyber-sibes]

Amy & Ralph, I just saw this - and will keep Cincy in my prayers! Give that sweet girl a hug from me, she is such a love. (((hugs))) to you & Ralph, too - you guys are such good doggie parents. Belly rubs to Sadie & Spot too. :)

[Cincy'sMom]

We went back to the vet today, and unfortuantely, don't know anymore then we did a month ago. He lungs little little worse (fluid, congenstion, something in her lungs), but the size of her heart has not changed. He is not hearing anything, so no change there (her wasn't before either).

The vet would to take wait and see approach for a few weeks. We are going to take her off the medicine, and see if she starts coughing again. If she does, we do more diagnosis. If not, we leave well enough alone, keep an eye on her. We did schedule an appointment for anothermonth to check things our again, but of course can get her in soonerif needed. Maybe she has always had a slightly larger then normal heart.

Waiting makes me nervous, but I also agree that it doesn't seem to make sense to fill her full of drugs if she is showing no symptoms of anything. We talked about the possibility of cancer (esp. after Sherman), but he showed us onthe X-ray where he would expect to see things if that was it and what he would expect different. That does not seem to be a concern at this point.

So, please keep Cincy in your prayers, that we are just worry-warts and she is just out unique little Cincy girl!

[cassiesmom]

Duly noted, fingers and paws crossed!

[captain]

Of course you are worry-warts - that is what we all are when it comes to those precious furkids!

I will keep my fingers, toes, everything crossed for a postive outcome ...

[Karen]

Of course our favorite Low-rider Lab will stay in our prayers!

[cyber-sibes]

We talked about the possibility of cancer (esp. after Sherman), but he showed us onthe X-ray where he would expect to see things if that was it and what he would expect different. That does not seem to be a concern at this point.Cincy is still in our prayers. Just to reassure you, the specialists here said that cancer beginning in the lungs is EXTREMELY rare, they almost never see it. (Rare enough that the x-rays of Sherman's legs & lungs are being used as teaching aides for training new vets. We gave them permission to use them.) I think it's great the vet discussed it & showed you her x-rays. Hopefully she'll be just fine without any further treatment. Please give her a kiss right on that cute little head of hers for me!

[Freedom]

Keeping Cincy in my prayers.

[chocolatepuppy]

Continued prayers for Cincy.

[Cinder & Smoke]

:)

HI, God ~

THANKS fur helpin our Buddy Miz Cincy to feel not so bad!

Will You keep an *eye* on her - so she stays Well & Happy?

We'll all be prayin fur dat - as will her Mom & Dad & GranMaw & GranPaw & Aunt & Sadie & Spot
and US & allua PTers & the PT FurKids & the Dawg Park Gang ... is dat enuff?
Oh - and all her Therapy "clients" are rootin for her, too.

She's a purdy Popular Girl - we'd like ta have her Healthy & Happy fur a Long Tyme!

THANKS, God!

/s/ the Prayer Pups

[ramanth]

Lots of continued prayers for Cincy!!

[kimlovescats]

I'm glad to hear that Cincy's cough is better! I hope she continues to improve!

[Jakesmom]

I'm not sure I completely understood the reason for stopping meds (or why/how she was dx with DCM originally), so this is just info in case you need it.

ACE inhibitors cause cough in humans with some regularity. Sometimes it helps to change to another ACE inhibitor, not always. If the patient needs the afterload reduction (the benefit of ACE on the ailing heart), there are other meds that block the angiotensin receptor (for people, not sure if they have been used in dogs, but then again, lots of things "migrate...".

The diuretic response to lasix (furosemide) is fairly predictable--ie, if you give it twice a day, you should be able to figure out when after she gets a dose she'll need to urinate (in people, usually an hour or two).

In any case, good luck with Cincy, and we hope she doesn't need further treatment.

jake's mom

[Cincy'sMom]

I don't know that Cincy's diagnosis was offical...her chest cavity was
X-rayed, but no ultrasound or other testing was done. It was observed she had an enlarged heart, and mild fluid in her lungs. She was put on the 2 medications, and another X-ray was taken a month later. The heart size was the same, and there was increased fluid in the lungs.

She was taken off the medication becuase she is not showing any clinical symptoms, other then a mild cough after drinking large amounts of water, or sometimes first thing int he morning. I am not sure I would even call it a true cough, it sounds more like she she is "ha-rumphing"...like a horse snorting I guess is the closest comparison I can make. She is as active as ever, eating fine, etc. Our vet, and another I have consulted with both agree that treating the dog is a better approach then treating the X-ray. So for now, we are not pumping her full of meds for a condition she may not have. We go back Feburary 16 for another check up.

One thing I thought of last week, that I have not talked to the vet about, is that before the first X-ray, she had been on Benedryl for a few days. I did not give her anymore after her appointment, while she was onthe other meds, so it had been a month since she had any allergy medicine before the second X-ray. Perhaps the heart is a condition she has also had, and the fluid is truly related to her allergies? (She has dust allergies that she gets bi-weekly shots for. They are always worst in the winter).

[cyber-sibes]

Still praying for your girl, glad to hear she seems to be doing better.

[Cincy'sMom]

All three dogs went to the vet today, but rather then our regular vet a new guy was there. He still did not hear much of anything in Cincy either heart or lungs, although he suggested putting her back on the Enalapirl. We haven't really decided to do that yet, but may be something to consider, just to help the blood flow, since she does have the large heart. He suggested we talk to our regular vet and deicde what we should do.

He also though thought he heard a mild heart murmur in Spot, and thinks we should considering have an X-ray done on him too.

Everything else checked out fine. Everybody got updated on vaccinations and weighed. Cincy is at 64.4 pounds (down from over 80 a few years ago!), Spot is at 59.8 and Sadie at 73.4.

It is so hard to know what to do! I don't want to miss something in either one, but they act so dang healthy, I don't want to start putting them through a bunch of tests or drug them up if they are fine.

[Cinder & Smoke]

All three dogs went to the vet today,
but rather then our regular vet a new guy was there...

He suggested we talk to our regular vet and deicde what we should do.


Don't ya just *HATE* That :mad: when the White Coats pull the ole *swicher-roo*
without telling you - before you arrive for the appointment!? :mad:

Hopefully the two Vets WILL consult with each other - maybe some good will come of it.

NICE GOIN on the weight loss, Cincy ... you ought to look great in your Bikini now! :D

[ramanth]

Glad the vet checks turned out fine. I'd definitely speak to your vet and see what he thinks. :)

[chocolatepuppy]

Good to hear the vet visit went well. Your regular vet may help you make the decision to put Cincy back on meds or not. Good job on the weight Cincy! :)

[4 Dog Mother]

Dr. Freeman, our vet, says too, treat the patient, not just the test results. Which is why some of the meds got changed from what Columbus told us. And I think that is true for yours, although I might try to get some information on what the side effects that you can't see (meaning does it damamge anything over a long use) are.

As always your pups are in their grandmom's heart and prayers!