Heart failure

[Jane10]

After a week of intermittent coughing, panting and breathing difficulties out beloved 7 year old boy has just been diagnosed with left-sided heart failure due to a prolapsed mitral valve.

He is now on Vetmedin, diuretics and something for his blood pressure which have pretty much bought him back to his normal lovely self.

I'm not sure what to expect from now on or how long he has.

Does any one on here have experience with this?

Any advice gratefully received. I really want to make sure he is as comfortable as possible.

 

[Misslara]

Hi sorry yo hear about your whippet,we lost our little girl in Feb this year to heart failure she was diagnosed 2 1/2 years earlier,she was on the meds to support her heart and was happy it was the last few months really she started to get tired and not eat as much,we were out for our morning walk and she collapsed I rushed her to the vets but she had a stroke and passed away.

Up untill that time we treated her as normal she coughed mostly in the morning when she got up the vet said that was normal after lying down,she walked played ate ...

She did get a couple of chest infection in the winter months so we kept her warm and wrapped up when she was out.

Hope that helps xxx

 

[Jane10]

Thank for your reply,

Sorry to hear about your little girl. Wow! Two and a half years is pretty good after the initial diagnosis. I was thinking we might have 6 months - maybe a year. That gives me some hope.

Thanks also for the tip about wrapping up warm. I will do that. I have noticed that he seems even more sensitive to heat now so I guess the same is probably true of the cold as well.

I've been gradually building up the walking again but I'm scared still to let him hoon around freely off lead like a muppet as he used to like too!

I will do it as I want him to live a normal happy life. Just gotta be brave!