Dog just diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I have some questions...

[Southerner1]

My beloved 14-year-old Jack Russell was diagnosed with congestive heart failure last week.  I hadn't noticed anything unusual about her behavior recently except for a very mild, occasional cough.  Then, suddenly, last Wednesday, she refused to eat and had very low energy.  On Thursday, after being examined by the vet, I was told she has congestive heart failure.  The vet put her on 12.5 mg. of Lasix and 2.5 mg. of Enalapril twice a day.  After five days of taking this medication, she's not showing much improvement.  She still has very low energy and isn't eating much.  She's always been excited to eat just about anything I put in front of her.  But, now, the only thing she shows any interest in eating is chicken I cooked in the crock pot.  If that's all I can get her to eat, is that okay?  I'm worried it won't meet her nutritional requirements.  I read about a medication called Vetmedin.  Some vets prescribe it in addition to Lasix and Enalapril.  Should I request my vet give me a prescription for it?  The vet said my dog could live over a year with this condition, but given her low energy and lack of appetite, I'm very worried she may not be around much longer.  I'd appreciate answers to the questions I've asked and also any general advice you can give me about taking care of a dog with congestive heart failure.  Thanks.

[RedEclipse]

I'm sorry to hear, my grandma's dog was a dachshund (15 y/o) died about a month ago from it. I would ask your vet these questions and see the reasoning behind the medicine they gave you as opposed to the others. Also mention that your dog will not eat on the medication it is on and I'm sure the vet will understand and try to come up with a solution. Best of luck!

[suzyzjets]

I have a 11 year old Boston and took her for her check up yesterday.He listened to her heart and told me she had CHF and put her on enalapril.She has not one symtum of being sick.She did have a 103.3 high fever and he gave her amoxcil.Should I give her the enalapril?I have read some bad things on this and I don't want any change in my baby.She plays just like when a pup,has no cough,eats normal(I do not feed her dog food she eats with us and has since she was a baby)why would they tell me this and give her meds if nothing unusal is going on. Confussed! But I am giving her the amoxicil.

[DinaDouglas]

I have a 12 year old Jack Russell with heart diease Cardiologist said no fluid in lungs but is eating less and has me up over night panting and breathing heavy but then fine in morning. Does this mean he is going in congestive heart failure or is this normal in the moderate stage?

[TINAlovesherdoggies]

Not normal.   The medications really help, especially furosemide (Lasix)

[Pomlover7]

My mom's Pomeranian is to turn 12 yrs old April 10th. On the 3rd of this month (April) she collasped crying with her eyes rolling from side to side. I rushed her to the vet and he said that it was due to CHF, most likely a minor heart attack. He put her on lasix and Enalapril twice a day. The next evening, she was struggling to breathe. I rushed her at midnight to the pet hospital and they placed her in an oxygen chamber. She improved and was sent home the next day with Pimobendan, Lasix and Benazipril. She is back at the hospital in the oxygen chamber again. She vomited during the night and the vet said he can place a nasal food tube in her to get some nurishment and water in her as to not damage her kidneys. She is not my dog but I am devasted. The doc feels that by getting food into her he may be able to send her home as long as we can get her meds in her. My mom is up there in age so i will have to assume this responsibilty. I hate to lose her but it is hard to see her suffer. I am at my mom's house now and without the dog here, it is quite quiet and lonely. Everyone says she has the face of a teddy bear. It is terrible when an animal steals your heart.

[Spotpatch]

Hi! As for soft stools, maybe u can ask your vet whether is it possible to give your dog C-Lium (one capsule a day) to help with the diarrhea? Also ask whether will Hills Prescription (lower sodium for heart too) i/d ( for gastro pro) & some vit B12 jabs help with diarrhea. These helps my 2 JRT a lot on their soft poos... As for other syptoms, not very sure. Sorry not of much help. Gd luck!

[Spotpatch]

Hi! My 14+ yo Jack Russell (6.4kg) is on Fortekor (Benazepril) for 7-8 yrs & recently is put on Lasix (1/4 tab twice a day) for 5 days but she's still coughing abt twice a day. Am waiting for the vet to call regd the adjusting of dosage. But she's still very active & keep asking for food esp from evening time. She's a fussy eater & has been having soft stools for some time so she's put on Hills prescription i/d but she hates it, hence normally I'll add in some rice, mince chicken or pork & veggies for her everyday. In order to have the correct nutrients, my vet recommends me to give her Vi-sobit multi-vits (suitable for senior dogs) for her daily. She loves this flavoured chewable tab. But to further help w her stools, she is given 6 jabs of vit B12 jabs every wk to strengthen her guts. Plus I give her C-Lium (can get from human pharmacy) everyday or alternate day depending on her poos softness. All these helps. My e other 14+ yo Jack Russell is also on e same diet & med (except Lasix) but this guy has irritable bowel so he was given 12 vit B12 jabs (1 jab per wk for 6 times & taper down to 1 jap per alt wk for 6 times) & with e help of C-Lium, it totally treated it... Hope this info helps. Good Luck.

[chasha33]

My peke is on Enalpril,Lasiks,and Vetmedin.She has been on these meds for 9 months and they have really seemed to have helped her.She had gained 8lbs in a few weeks so i took her to be checked and then a specialist went over all of her test and then told us that it was CHF.She has to take her meds twice a day.She also has to eat food that has doesnt have alot of sodium and protein.She is 12 years old and such a sweet baby.Sometimes her meds give her ulcers so then i have to give her Pepcid ac.But her  meds have really seemed to have helped her so i have to keep giving them even when her belly dont feel good.

[Pompom98]

My 12.5 yr pomeranian also suffers congestive heart failure. The systoms started from coughing, breathing heavily, and loss of appetite & energy. I took him to the vets and he was diagnosed with CHF. He's now in diuretic med to remove all the fluids from his lungs and Pimobendan for his heart condition. Pimobendan has been proven to prolong life. You can search this med online. I plan to bring my dog to a cardiologist this week and hopefully they can give better advice than the regular vets. My pom condition ups and downs. One day he could eat more and be more playful, the other day he didn't want to eat at all. I'm very depressed and can't wait to see the specialist.

[ryanamartin1]

hey southerner so sorry to here that im going through this now my jack russel almost 14 years old  she was diagnosed the same thing today, she started losing balance collapsing and breathing weird after the bathroom and going up stairs, it kinda looked like a stroke or heart attack, then she would snap out of it after 10 mins and be a perky little puppy again, she was put on the same medication she had her first pills today and now all of sudden doesnt want to eat really, peeing and diareahhing alot of time but iwth low amounts coming out, so if you could post an update to me or anyone else who reads this about what to expect or how long your dog lived for or if still alive would be HUGEE, im just in total shock n cant believe this or see whats going on just wanna cry all day long cuz she was just acting like her puppy self today.. i hope something gets better, she only coughed and gagged twice since this all started but right now shes in the closet sounding HORRIBLE and coughing and i can hear the fluid in her lungs being stirred up now thats shes coughing, im afraid she doesnt have long considering the way she shes been last few hours, looks like anxiety attacks actually , the vet said he thinkns its in the early stages but i dunno why, i mean she acted lik nothing was wrong with her at vet but she must of been runnig off adrenaline. ANYONE CAN GIVE ME SOME INFORMATION?!?! thank youuu please email ***@**** being that i prolly wont see a post to forum as fast

[RedEclipse]

My grandma's dog had the symptoms for about a year before they got worse (constant wheezing fits and coughing), after she was prescribed her medication she only lasted a month, maybe 2, but she also had 2 seizure episodes that likely worsened her condition. But my grandma took her to the vet way later than she should have and it was to late to do anything for it. I hope this helps a little, it's sad that it happens. And I know I miss her, she was the same age as me, so we were close. Whatever happens give your dog a lot of love and keep it comfortable. :)

[RedEclipse]

Also ask your vet if saline spray for her nose will help the fits, we tried that on ours and it worked fairly well.