on โ17-09-2016 03:21 PM
My nearly 10yo Chi/Mini foxie x has just been diagnosed with a grade 5 heart murmur. Chronic Heart Failure.
How can that be? She doesnt seem to have any symptoms.
Anyone else been through this? Will the heart meds help?
on โ20-09-2016 06:48 PM
i rekon the first thing to do is find something she absolutly loves to eat, as in its gone before its hit the bowl.
then cover the tablet in that. might be vegemite
whatever it is do a few dry runs without tablet till she gets the idea this is really good.
on โ20-09-2016 06:56 PM
I also suggest wearing gloves, or trying to not touch the pill with bare hands as they can pick up the smell on your fingers
on โ20-09-2016 07:29 PM
Our 9yo cavalier has just been diagnosed wiyh grade 5 as well although 80% of cavs end up with it and we knew it would happen one day. No meds as yet but we have to keep an eye on her respirations and have 3 monthly check-ups. They did say the meds are quite exspensive - can anyone tell me how exspensive they are - not that it matters. When she needs them, she will have them.
on โ20-09-2016 07:44 PM
Sorry to hear that Sandy. Miillie had a chest xray and her heart is enlarged and mis-shapened so straight onto the medication.
She is on Vetmedin 1.25mg and 50 tabkets were $80. She has half a tab twice a day so a bit over $45 per month. She is only 3.8kg and it goes on weight. Some need to spend a hundred or two a month.
on โ21-09-2016 07:40 AM
on โ21-09-2016 01:19 PM
First I must say please don't crush the tabs without your vet's advice as this can cause tablets to become ineffective .... same with humans.
I have nursed two dogs through heart disease (cavaliers) and my first boy was diagnosed when he was about 10, put on Vetmedin and eventually Fluoroxine at about 12, and lived until 16. When he became a bit tottery he went into a pram and loved it, as did the onlookers.I took him everywhere in it. and just loved the looks on the faces when ppl wanted to look at the sweet baby and up popped Shannon's doggy head.
The Vetmedin was given to me as capsules, so easy to give to them. The fluorexine (diuretic) was a tiny tablet so very easy to slip into food.
A friend of mine has a beaglier aged 12 who was diagnosed with Grade 4 about 2 years ago and put on meds but healthwise is top of the world. The meds are wonderful these days.
on โ21-09-2016 05:05 PM
Thanks for posting Brighton, gives me a heap of hope.
The vet was so sombre. I will ask the vet all the questions I now have after everything has sunk in.
And Pรขtรฉ was a winner tonight as the tablet disguise, so reckon it is the smell for sure x
on โ21-09-2016 10:00 PM
Another suggestion from my daughter was to try cat food....the seafood varieties are very strong smelling and most dogs love them. It might be cheaper than pate.
on โ22-09-2016 12:20 PM
Cheaper for sure! We just had a little bit of pate leftover. It wasn't a meal or anything - just enough to coat the tablet and she ate it off the end of the teaspoon. She loves cooked chiken as well, but that didnt fool her at all.
I appreciate all of your help.
on โ22-09-2016 01:49 PM
Most home cooked chicken does not have a strong enough smell....try BBQ chicken if/when you buy one....they are stronger smelling.
How about heart or kidney....they are stronger smelling. Our dog loved ox kidney...always had to have a bit if I made steak and kidney.