Dog diagnosed with heart murmur last year as a grade 2 now I think it's getting worse
Submitted by deanna2007 on May 4, 2010 - 11:43amShe seems to be breathing heavy sort of like panting but no tongue sticking out and she was coughing not as much as last night. I tried to listen to her lungs and it seems raspy, not clear. I googled on heart murmur and it said that as the grade increase, the dog can cough and fluids buildup in the lungs. She is a 9 yr old chihuahua and she did have pneumonia when she was 6. this time I don't think its pneumonia because she doesn't have a running nose, her nose is dry. When she breathes, you can see her head moving back and forth and she sleeps alot, doesn't really want to eat except when I feed her boiled chicken she'll eat a little. And when I pick her up and hold her, she makes this soft whimpering sound. She has a vet apptmt tomorrow morning, is there anything I should ask the vet or to make her comfortable?
Dee
It really depends
On what type of murmur it is - not just the grade. Treatment is defined by the cause.
Keep in mind, there are some excellent medical therapies out there that can manage her condition and make her much more comfy. Sorry I couldn't help you more. Please let us know what the vet says.
Olivia
Vet did a chest xray and it
Vet did a chest xray and it show she has an enlarged heart and said she has mitral insufficiency with some fluids in her lungs. She was prescribed Lasix and enapril. The medications seems to help alot, she is not breathing as hard and I haven't heard her cough last night. She still doesn't want to eat, but will eat some boiled chicken still not as much. She is more alert and walks around a little. Her heart is really big about 1 inch from each side and it would touch the sides.
I'm sure her appetite
Will come back in a bit. Give the meds a chance to work.
Some of the heart enlargement may be due to fluid overload. It will reduce a bit in size when the excess fluid is peed out. The enalapril will make it easier for her heart to pump (by decreasing the resistance).
Glad to hear she's feeling better!
Olivia