posted 06-04-2003 04:15 PM         

Please help with any info if you can...

sea xxxx

posted 06-04-2003 06:51 PM         

Good Luck - honeybear

Some dogs that become symptomatic from their heart disease develop fluid in the abdomen (ascites); others have episodes of sudden weakness or fainting that can result from irregular heartbeats or other complications.

Treatment for mitral insufficiency is tailored to the individual dog As long as no sign of heart failure develops, no treatment is necessary, although reduction of dietary salt intake is often advised. Again, there are many dogs with degenerative valvular disease that never progress to heart failure.
However, if heart failure develops, several medications and other strategies are used to control the signs. Since the disease is not reversible and heart failure, when it occurs, tends to be progressive, the intensity of the therapy (including the number of medicines and dosages used) usually must be increased over time.

Therapy is always tailored to the needs of the individual patient.

posted 06-07-2003 05:32 AM         

What is so shocking is that he was totally asymptomatic until a couple of days ago, (but only a slight cough and even that was no more than 2X on each day) and he wasn't even showing any lethargy.... and it wasn't until the morning I made my post to you that his breathing was labored.

How can a dog be virtually asymptomatic and 6 hours later be dead?
And had there been any earlier signs we wouldn't have missed them , since Shakespare went everywhere with us, every day....including our office of work everyday!

Two years ago, a radiograph of his chest showed "slight" enlarged heart and they detected a "slight" murmur. We were told NOTHING at the time except that it was of "no medical significance" (HUH????) and that he was healthy and that we should simply keep bringing him in for regular check-ups, shots, etc.

So...that's what we did...tookhim for reg. check-ups but I realize now that the vet NEVER XRAYED HIS CHEST AGAIN. If he had, they probably would have found that the heart was progressively enlarging and that he was headed for trouble...that this was indeed mitral valve disease that would inevitibly lead to cardiac heart failure ( you can probably tell that I have been doing research in the last 24 hours). I have NOW learned that had we possibly started vasodilators and other meds while he still didn't have pleural symptoms/effusion we might have prolonged his life and avoided this horrendous crisis of true heart failure.

I know now that mitral valve disease (MVD) usually leads to eventual heart failure but I'm so angry at the vet for not informing us/ or taking it upon themselves to monitor his heart more closely over the past two years.

Our "boy" had a ticking time bomb in his chest, and drugs could have bought him more time, instead of having him go into CRISIS when it was too late.

Am I wrong?

We're bereft and devastated.

..I hope this helps and encourages anyone who might have a small dog diagnosed with heart enlargement and a murmur to insist on periodic xhest xrays to at least see if there is progression.

*****I would love to have your imput on whether you feel the vets were remiss in not informing us of the potential outcome of MVD and not monitoring his heart over the past two years.******

Honeybear-Thank you SO much for the info and your lovely words of compassion. Your thoughtfulness is unbelievably helpful at this time...

Love,
Seabiscuit xxxx

posted 06-09-2003 01:56 AM         

How wonderful that you were blessed to have him for 13 wonderful years!! Your post also teaches us that we never know what will happen & to cherish our loved ones now!

posted 06-11-2003 03:39 AM         

You have all been amazing...

posted 06-22-2003 11:37 AM         

If you or anyone else who reads my post learns anything from the death of my beloved Shakespeare, I'll feel he didn't die totally in vain.

Give your little one a big kiss on the head for me!

xxxx