Quote:
Originally Posted by Vereen  Hi all -
I haven't been here in a while but checked in today to read up on enlarged heart diagnosis. I was stunned to see this old thread as it is exactly what has happened to Joni.
Took her to vet for bordetella vaccine. They assured me it was not the nasal spray, but an oral medication. Within 2 days Joni was coughing violently and sick. This was over a month ago. Earlier this week, she had a chest X-ray to look for pneumonia at which time the vet said her heart was enlarged. She suggested an echo with a cardiologist once Joni has the cough settled.
Two issues:
1- can't even speak to how frustrated (and angry) I am over this bordetella vaccination. I should have never given it to her as she's never boarded and we have a mobile groomer. But she is around another dog or two every so often and she revels in full face smelling of every tree, shrub, post along our walks so I thought it might be helpful. Never really expected her to develop bordetella from the vaccine but I'm convinced that it happened. She's been sick for a month.
2- no murmur and no other indication of heart disease. She will be 3 next month. I am praying that as others have said, the X-ray read by my vet was not accurate - shadows or whatever. She showed it too me and my first (very non-medical) reaction was that her heart filled her entire rib cage! The vet had a radiologist read it as well and he said the left atrium was prominent and bigger than he expected to see given no murmur. They both said the trachea was narrowed but not collapsed and this may be putting pressure on the airway contributing to the cough. He too recommended an echo by a cardiologist.
So a perfectly healthy baby 5 weeks ago is now sick with bordetella and potentially diagnosed with enlarged heart and trachea issues. I'm just sick about this. Will never allow bordetella vaccine again! Is there a connection in all of this? |
I would not worry that the x-ray showed an enlarged heart as it is common for small dogs to appear to have an enlarged heart on x-ray, but when sent to a cardiologist it's normal. I once had a cardiologist tell me this very thing. Not saying not to go to a cardio but saying it's most likely not enlarged.