I need advice about my dogs congestive heart failure.

[Kelsielu]

My dog about 15 years old, and has e. She was diagnosed about a year ago. And the vet just put her on water pills. That's all she is on still. About every two months she goes through these coughing/hacking spells. Is this normal for dogs with CHF? We have tried EVERYTHING to help, but NOTHING works.
I just want to know if she is suffering or in pain! The vet I'm going to just doesn't seem to know what she is doing. Of course nether do I so I really shouldn't be talking. I really want to take her to a different vet for a 2nd opinion but worried about the cost. The hacking spells are becoming more often and lasting longer, and becoming harder and harder to keep her from coughing (with cough syrup etc). The one she is going through right now has lasted 2 weeks. The vet gave us antibiotics and a strong cough syrup. I also upped the water pills. Its not as bad, but not completely gone. She's just doped up 24/7 now. I just feel helpless.  I don't want to see her suffer, if she is. I just lost one of my other dogs a week ago, seeing her go though this is just killing me. IS SHE IN PAIN? When she goes through these spells does that mean she cant breath? cause I can hear it in her chest. like a weez. PLEASE help. I'm just at a loss of what to do anymore.
But, when she isn't going through these spells she is as happy as can be. Running around like a puppy.

[Judyd96]

I have a 12 yr old cairn with enlarged heart and liver. She had the coughing spells.  Like she's choking.  She was put on enalapril for the heart, a water pill and a bronchodilator pill.  It had progressed so the vet doubled the doses of heart and water pill.  But, the increased water pill will damage their kidneys.  She seems so lethargic now and the vet says in time she will be on more than the one heart pill.  I have made the decision to leave her on the meds she's on now but when the time comes, no more pills.  She cannot get better and being a terrier and so lethargic is scary and unfair to her.  No pain yet they we see but it's day by day now.  My heart is broken and I know how you must be feeling.  I am sorry.

[juststopit]

My 15 year old chihuahua, Brutus was diagnosed with chf almost 3 years ago. His vet is excellent and prescribed lasix, benazapril,and vetmedin. We cook all his meals, for him which makes a huge difference, meat and vegetables only. The vet is shocked at how healthy he is.we do have rounds of coughing about every 3-4 months, at the time we increase the lasix until he stops coughing, usually about a week with the increased dose,then back to the normal dose. The vet says it's normal with chf to have coughing at 3-4 month intervals. The vetamin is really a great product also that opens the blood vessels.

[vidal1]

Hi. My dog Moby will be 16 next month. Yes I caught his chf in time from finding it in another dog we'll call his brother. On both I used "water pills' from walmart that worked better than lasyx prescribed by the vet. He sometimes took more and then less on some days. I also added flax ground to each day of their diets. The brothers cough stopped immediately that I know he would cough himself to sleep. Sad I had not caught it earlier and yes the vets don't look into more natural ways of treating animals. Vidal

[sonbud2]

my Chihuahua diagnosed 12/9/14 enlarged heart prescribed enalaprin but at 1/2 dose seemed to cough more and so weak. I found pet well being and young at heart and started using it 2 weeks ago, he is now on full dose YAH and has had no prescribed  meds for 1 week. he seems so much better, still rests a lot but has energy and seems happy. would you please share how well it worked for your baby please. thank you

[broken_hearted_]

I'm very sorry for anyone whose dog suffers from this insidious disease.

My little nine year old chihuahua x mini foxy died from CHF three weeks ago. Three weeks before his death he was running and playing like a puppy. The only real symptom he ever had was coughing. He also had dynamic airway disease so I was often told his cough was just a 'nuisance cough'. I always knew when his cough changed and of course X-rays proved me right.

In early July he went into mild CHF but we were told it was well controlled with meds (Pimobendan, Fortekor, Lasix, Amplodipine, Codeine, Theophylline...) About two months later I thought he'd developed an arrhythmia so we took him back to the cardiologist. His arrhythmia was only mild. His lungs were clear on X-rays and his heart was strong. Twenty four hours later we had to rush him to the ICU his lungs full of fluid and he had small heart tears in both his atriums. He lived two more weeks in and out of the ICU on oxygen. We didn't get the chance to euthanise him peacefully. He went into cardiac arrest in the ICU and died. It was horrendous.

I'm completely heartbroken and still in shock. It was very hard to realise at the time that all the meds were just buying time. The vets kept trying to give us hope he would stabilise but he deteriorated too quickly. We were told eighteen months from early onset and we only got four... CHF is so cruel. I highly recommend that if you have any doubts about the treatment you are receiving to get a second opinion fast. If nothing else you will know you did everything you could.

[calicopig]

Sorry to hear of your loss.  Pretty much the same thing happened to my little maltese last wk.  She was fine when we went to bed.  Started coughing during the night.  I took her to the vet first thing in the morning.  They did x-rays and said her heart and lungs look good and gave me cough meds.  Within hours she started having trouble breathing and wouldnt eat.  I took her back.  They said her lungs filled up with fluid and her heart bled out into her chest.  I had to have her put down immediately.  I am still heart broken.  I had no idea I would take her to the vet and not bring her home.  I had her 10 yrs from a puppy.  I'm lost without her.