Originally Posted by Marhcarter (Post 4160334)

The video worked for me and was informative.I just don't have the proper probe to check a dog, which is why I tried the tail nub...didn't work...too hairy. I think if my baby were passing out, I would shave his tail or whatever I needed to monitor him. He is a very skittish yorkie monster, so I haven't tried his ear, but if he were passed out, I think I could get a reading. All of this, to the OP, is just data collection that could help with diagnosis, IMO. You can't collect to much data, and no matter what anyone else says, I think internet searches of symptoms can be very helpful, as long as you don't freak out and convince yourself he has every thing you see :) sometimes professionals like vets might need/appreciate a little research by the owner that might point them in the right direction for an appropriate diagnosis. Be proactive in your pups health like you would your own!

Originally Posted by Yolanda Crawfor (Post 4160313)

I just lost my yorkie. We kept taking him to the vet with the same sypmtoms as you mentioned. He had an enlarged heart and is was pressing on his lungs. The vet kept telling us it was seizures. When we took him yo emergency that's when we found out. They put him on oxygen and he was to stay over night. An hour later he arrested and they could not resuscitate him. Please take ours to a cardiac specislist and get more than one opinion. They can xray his heart to see if it is ok.

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1 (Post 4160518)

There are those of us on here that, for whatever reasons, have a lot of knowledge about different disease processes, events, etc...some of us have wonderful equipment at our disposal, that can give us additional information.....but we must NEVER forget....all we know, and all we compile as information that may help diagnose, we are NOT vets...even those of us who have been "vet techs"....(I was a vet tech back before they even existed as such, 1965-70)....we are NOT vets and we MUST know our limitations. The more we know, the more knowledge we have, the more careful we have to be about knowing when to stop and take information we have, to VETS. Use you knowledge to recognize when a specialist is needed, as I think it is in this case. With the knowledge I have about what could be causing these symptoms, I would waste NO MORE time Googling, trying to self diagnose and treat, and I would already be at a vet school, seeing specialists, that KNOW what they are doing, they are not digging around looking for all it COULD be, they take the information they can get from exam and tests and they KNOW what is happening, and they CAN DEVELOP A PLAN OF TREATMENT. Please dont let it get to be too late for your baby....

Originally Posted by dottiesyrky (Post 4160537)

So sorry to hear of that you poor baby is going through these disturbing symptoms. Hope there is a definitive diagnosis and cure soon.
Stupid me has a question! I have had a Holter monitor myself and wonder how they technically do this test on a hairy and active dog? Do they have remote wireless output or are the data recorded for later analysis?
Also is it really the case that no info can be gleaned from a resting EKG? I have had a few wasted tests if that is so. LOL!
Thank you.

Originally Posted by dottiesyrky (Post 4160549)

Thank you, I am glad that dogs tolerate the Holter so well. I understand why a Holter vs a snap EKG, but one poster i believe suggested that an EKG was a waste of time.
Thanks again.

Originally Posted by dottiesyrky (Post 4160560)

Even with intermittent issues (such as arrhythmias for example), usually MDs do the simpler test first then the more complex ones? Worth a shot as a first test anyway?
Sorry to temporarily hijack the thread!

Originally Posted by dottiesyrky (Post 4160560)

Even with intermittent issues (such as arrhythmias for example), usually MDs do the simpler test first then the more complex ones? Worth a shot as a first test anyway?
Sorry to temporarily hijack the thread!

Originally Posted by dottiesyrky (Post 4160758)

Understand all that, but surely worth a first shot with a dog who cannot give info as to how he feels and has an unknown disease? As a human who has been through all the many and various cardio tests (from EKG thru' echo, Holter, nuclear stress test etc) for an intermittent and infrequent symptom, I wonder why every follow up visit the specialist does just an EKG?? I will ask next time.
Again apologies for the sidetrack. Hoping the OP's baby gets well soon.

Originally Posted by LyndalB (Post 4158621)

Hi

I'm just wondering if anyone out there has maybe seen these symptoms before and can maybe suggest what could be wrong?

About a week and a half ago my little yorkie (she is 6 years old, weighs 2.5kg) started to sound like she was having breathing problems. She sounds like she has a really awful cold, and her tummy is really very swollen (she's been spayed, so she's not pregnant). Off we went to the vet... we got antibiotics for what the vet diagnosed as pharyngitis. The antibiotics made no difference, so we went back to the vet, they did an X-ray, her trachea is in good condition (so it's not tracheal collapse), the vet prescribed some anti-inflammatories. No difference. We had quite a bad night, really uncomfortable, and not breathing well. The very next day I took her to a specialist physician vet, he did another x-ray, and tested her liver and kidney function, and did a scan on her swollen tummy. Said that everything looked fine - her lungs are fine, he's happy with the heart, kidneys, and liver, etc... and the swollen tummy is from swallowing air. He prescribed cortisone, and said to bring her back after the weekend. This was on Friday.
Friday night, she passed out cold while eating her supper, we woke her up, and she just bounced back to her self. I was worried at this point, and spent the whole of Saturday with her, she ate food and drank water, no problems. Saturday night it happened again, and again a couple times on Sunday night. So Sunday night I phoned and made an appointment with the Specialist on Monday to do a scope, to see if there is maybe a obstruction in her throat.
They did the scope on Monday, and could find nothing wrong. They scoped her oesophegus all the way to her stomach - nothing. Scoped her throat, checked her tonsils - nothing. Scoped her nose - slightly inflamed.
The vet has no idea why she is fainting, or what is really causing her to have breathing trouble? He prescribed another antibiotic, and anti inflammatory, and a liver tab, as her blood work showed up some liver enzymes (most likely from all the medication she's been on).
She's still fainting and it's getting worse, becasue now she is shaking after the episodes, not just bouncing back to herself.

Any idea what could be wrong?

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly (Post 4162346)

The controlling her eating to avoid excitement - how do you do that?

Originally Posted by paseamstress (Post 4161303)

I think you need a second opinion from a different VET.