Heart Failure in Dogs

charlyan

charlyan

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Hi all,

Haven't posted in ...Dogs before but looking for a bit of info on heart failure in dogs.

My springer x has had a heart murmur for years (monitored but has not required treatment until now).
Last wednesday night he was pretty flat, and on examination mucous membranes were very pale and his pulse was low. (I trained as a vet nurse sixteen plus years ago but haven't worked in practice since).

I spoke to our vet and he advised keeping him quiet and bring him in first thing. Next day he was alot better but took him in anyway and he is now on Fortekor 5 (Benazepril) daily and total rest for a wee while.

Oscar has been absolutely fine until yesterday afternoon when he threw up violently (hadn't eaten anything for about an hour) and then about another hour after his dinner he was sick again. He has kept his food down today but was a bit wobbly on his legs mid morning and is pretty quiet but alert and otherwise seems ok. (Vet is out til later).

My question is- has anyone else had similar experience with their dog and/or benazepril. The leaflet says that it can cause dizzyness and tiredness but nothing about nausea.
Also be interested in hearing from anyone with dogs with similar complaints.

Looking through my old vet nurse books, I can't find any link betwen heart failure and nausea but am wondering if it's likely to be linked to his medication and condition or something totally separate?



Thanks for reading- ended up a bit longwinded!
 
I think it's the heart failure that's causing the vomiting (I could be wrong), but I'm sure there's a link.

Difficult times. ((((( )))))
 
I just wanted to say that I've had a dog that was sensitive to medicines, antibiotics, painkillers after having the lady-bits removed etc. Unless the medication clearly says give so and so time before or after food, if you give it with food, feed Oscar first and when he's eaten, then give the medicine.
The medicine is less likely to upset the stomach if the food is already there.

That said, since it's a heart problem, there's a risk AmyMay is right, so I hope you keep in contact with your vet.


{{{Hugs}}}
 
Hello, i had just come on here to post about my dog passing away but i noticed your post first and would love to give you some info/help if i can.
My boy actually died from heart failure last week and Fortekor is a drug i have become very familiar with over the past year.
He was a St Bernard and in the latter stages he needed Fortekor, Vetmedin, Digoxin and Frusemide. He actually started on Fortekor, Vetmedin and Frusemide as soon as he was diagnosed and the difference they made was absolutely remarkable. We experienced some vomiting episodes at the start of treatment but they went very quickly. The other problem we were told about is that due to his heart becoming enlarged it made him cough because it would press on the bottom of his windpipe at times causing him to retch, hence why lots of dogs with heart failure develope a nasty dry cough which was at first mistaken for kennel cough in my boy.
If you would like to discuss it further at all, any other questions etc please feel free to pm me or email me on vanessahook@yahoo.co.uk.
 
Spoke to the vet today and he says there has been a doggy bug going around that Oscar may have picked up and is coincidental. The fortekor 5 that he's on shouldn't be causing nausea so we just need to keep an eye on him. He hasn't been sick again so hopefully he's right.

The tablets should prolong and improve his quality of life so onwards and upwards! He's a fighter and I know he won't give in easily.

Thanks for all the hugs and kind thoughts x

PS- I've emailed you, Fantasia x
 
Sorry to hear about your doggie, I hope he is feeling better.

I have a dog with a heart murmur for the last 3 years and the first thing I would say is that you should get a referal to a specialist centre. I am sure your local vet is lovely but they are rarely experienced enough to manage the condition. My dog is on Vetmedin, Prilactone, Corvental, Fortecor and Frusemide and she is doing brilliantly but they still see her every three months to repear x-rays, ECG, bloods to make sure there are no signs of fluid in her lungs. We've been very lucky and she has not experienced any side effects from all this other than adjustments in the dosage to ensure she is not retaining fluid but is not dehydrated either.
 
Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately we live on an island 14 hours by ferry away from the nearest city and as far as I'm aware, in Scotland we'd be looking at the central belt for any specialist centres which makes referral nigh on impossible for regular checks for Oscar. Our vets are very good however and i know would not hesitate (and have not in the past) in contacting colleagues at the vet hospitals if they come across anything untoward.

Oscar seems to be doing well at the moment, if not quite up to his old energy levels!

Thanks again.
 
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