I'm glad to hear she is doing better!! I'll pray that she continues to do well on her medicine.

I've always wanted a cavalier, they are such sweet and beautiful dogs. But when I found out most if not all end up with mvd I just couldn't bare the thought of going through all that. It just doesn't seem fair, they are such a wonderful sweet breed that doesn't deserve to have such a serious medical condition.

I am so sorry. I went through this a few years ago with one of my sweet babies. Dori had not had a history of a murmur or anything that would indicate heart problems. One day she suddenly started to have difficulty breathing. The cardiologist told me that when it starts suddenly, often it is due to infection around the valve. It is difficult to keep them stable because the kidneys also come into play at a certain point. I wish you well with her and hope she responds well to the meds.

So glad your baby is feeling better. Even though she seems better today try to feed her smally frequent meals. Even if she is really hungery. She can not eat and breathe at the same time. Also don't let her over do it just because she feels better today, ease into running and climbing stairs,CHF with people or animals I would imagine, causes them increased distress with eating especially when they are having exacerabations. Keep your Nutracal on hand too so when she isn't feeling like eating you can keep her from having hyperglycemia. I am not a vet, but I am a nurse on a step down open heart floor. I hope this helps. ((((hugs)))

I am so glad to hear she is doing better. I know when Maya started the medicine it worked right away.

only a week later
 

It's only been about a week and Abby has gone downhill so quickly. She had such an awful night last night. I just can bear to see her gasping for air and looking to me with these big brown eyes for help. I'm at work and can't stop the tears. I have a call into the vet to see if maybe we can adjust her lasix or just what we can do at this point. I can't watch her in so much distress and not be able to do anything. I keep praying that she will just go to sleep and not wake but this so seldom happens. I am just beside myself in grief and fear for the future. Please keep us in your prayers that I can make the right decisions for her.

Sending lot's of positive energy for a speedy recovery.

XOXO

I am so sorry to hear that Abby is not doing well. She and you are in my thoughts and prayers.

I'm so sorry. I think some days they do better than other days. I suppose some of it depends on the weather. I know it's hard to see them so sick.

I am so sorry to hear about your Abby. It must be so scary to watch your dog having so much difficulty breathing. My heart goes out to you for the heartache you are going through. I am sending prayers to you and Abby. Bless you little Abby.

I wish I had seen your post sooner. One of my senior IGs, Opal, has mitral valve prolapse. Her right atrium is enlarged and her cardiac function is compromised.

In August, she didn't want to eat her breakfast and I noticed she was having trouble breathing. I took her right in, first thing in the morning and she had to stay at the vet's until the following evening in the oxygen cage. She had fluid in her lungs. My vet, an internist, told me that IV lasix is more effective then the oral meds. She was breathing fine by the time I got her. Also, her pulse ox was way down, in the 80's, which is really bad and had come up into the 90's by the time I got her.

Opal's dosage of lasix was also increased and she hasn't had another episode of fluid in her lungs since. My vet told me thatwe might even have to experiment with injectable lasix if the oral meds didn't work at home. Luckily, that isn't the case. I was also told that if her respirations were above 30 per minute to get her back in or to an emergency vet ASAP. I wanted to stress that, very important.

Besides the lasix, Opal is also on enalipril, vetmedin and digoxin. The digoxin is for some irregular heartbeats she was having. I'd ask your vet about the vetmedin.

I hope Abby is doing better. I'll keep her in my thoughts. It is pretty scary to see them so sick.

Hi Kristan and all the other kind people that have posted. I had Abby back to the vet last night and he put her on vetmedin. He said that if the drug is going to help it will be within 24 hours that we notice a difference. He increased her lasix and said she has just not got long due to her acute symptoms. She did sleep last night so maybe this drug will give her a little more time. The cardiologist she saw in August gave her only 3 months and and we have beat that. I am just going to miss her so much!

I'm so sorry.

:eek: Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry to hear that. I guess the best thing is just to keep her comfortable. You have done the best you can and I'm sure she appreciates everything. Many hugs your way.

:(I\'m sorry. I know how much you love her.

I\'m so sorry.