Cincy Has Dialated Cardiomyopathy -Update 2/16/08

[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.