[Dailydrool] Heart Murmer

[Kim Brown]

My Sammi is a beagle mix and has had a heart murmer since she was 5 years
old.  She is 12 years old now and in congestive heart failure.  The vet said
that drugs are not usually given until the dog shows symptoms because most
of the drugs will not help the dog until that time.  The exception may be
any diuretic such as lasix to help with fluid around the heart.  Some times
heart murmers don't progress and stay at a certain level and that is the
best you can hope for.  They usually do progress as the dog gets older and
that is exactly what has happened with Sammi.  

 

There is a new wonder drug for dogs in heart failure called Pimobendan.  It
is only indicated when a dog gets to the heart failure stage but it
definitely prolongs the dogs life and also greatly improves the quality of
life.  Sammi has been on this wonder drug for a year and has already lived
much longer than the vet expected.  She is also on a lot of other drugs too,
an ace inhibitor, two different kinds of diuretics, tramadol for pain, and
hycodan for coughing.  Unfortunately for me and Sammi, hycodan is being
pulled off the market by the FDA because they say it is ineffective for
people.  It is not a canine drug so I am scrambling to try and find any
pharmacy who has some before it is all gone.  Unfortunately when I do find a
drugstore with some, I can only get one prescription at a time because this
is a controlled drug. There is not another good alternative drug for Sammi's
coughing out there.  The Vet said that there are other drugs to try but none
work as good as the hycodan.  I am so worried that when my supply of this
drug is gone, Sammi will get much worse.  Sammi also has seizures which is
common in beagles.  Seizures are not good mix in heart failure patients
because it takes the heart so much longer to recover from them.  I thought I
was losing Sammi last September when she had a bad seizure.  I emailed on
the drool and everyone rallied with prayers and drool.  Sammi got better and
survived that one.  She is slowly getting worse, but like all of you, I pray
all the time that my dog will last just a little while longer.  She feels
good most of the time and runs around sometimes like she does not have
anything wrong with her.

 

If your dog has a heart murmer, find a vet who is up to date on all the
heart meds out there.  They can make a huge difference in the quality of
life for your dog.

 

Drool and prayers to all.

 

Kim

Mama to Daisy, Dixie, Sammi and Gracie

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