It pays to be your pet's own advocate because they can't speak for themselves. I've done the same and just try to do my best. Pollie had already had two hip surgeries when I found out about her heart. And i INSISTED they run tests on her because she was not breathing well and she would hardly interact with me. They tried to dismiss it and i told them i was not leaving until i knew what was wrong so they started taking xrays and found out that her heart takes up more than 50% of her chest cavity and they'd missed it during the first two surgeries. I'd paid for blood work to be done but they don't routinely do xrays. I'll know from now on if i ever have a dog with even a minor deformity to insist on xrays. I took Pollie to five different vets before i found one who thought she'd live. All of the other vets said she'd die because she had water on her brain.
She never had water on her brain. She had a HUGE molera and other deformities but she wasn not hydrocephalic. Had i listed to the first vet or the 5th vet, Pollie would have been put to sleep. I always go with my gut feeling but I do listen to my vets and research what they say.
I've been worried about Pollie's teeth because she's so tiny and it's so hard to get in her mouth. Dr. Smith wanted me to try some liquid you add to their drinking water. I flipped it over and looked on the back and guess what.... XYLITOL. i said no, and you don't need to be selling this. It kills dogs. So because I research, I teach them. He gave me a different one without Xylitol and he did not charge me because i brought it to his attention.
Kari and the P-Crew in Arkansas
(Piper, Pollie, Presley, Peyton and Paris)
--- On Mon, 4/11/11, Peggy & The Girls <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Peggy & The Girls <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Smidgen's Update
To: [email protected]
Date: Monday, April 11, 2011, 11:12 PM
Thanks Kari. I did call those two Vets that she went to and blasted off at them, and of course would never use them again or recommend them. I paid a lot for a full senior profile and test on her because she wasn't acting right for a couple of months. So much for all their test, all I got was it was old age. They are sounding more like human rip off doctors. I guess that's the reason why I try to do so much research and educate myself as much as my brain can handle because I really don't trust and believe everything Vets or Doctors say anymore. I have had so much negative feedback from them through the years it is depressing. Plus the more I hear from other people and their experiences, it doesn't help to build my trust in them. I think our gut feeling holds more water then their dumb test. I have learned more from other people and doing my own research then I ever learned from a Vet. Now I tell them what I think it is and
why!
Peggy & The Girls
Don't Buy, Adopt & Save A Life!
"Until there are none...Rescue One" -------Original Message-------
Date: 4/11/2011 11:54:55 PM
Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Smidgen's Update
Peggy, I agree with you about being on the phone calling the vet. Beth you should consider at least calling and asking those questions. Who cares about a remodel when Smidgen’s life is way more important!
I’m sorry about Gidget Peggy. But that was good information to know so thank you for sharing. Pollie carries around excess fluid but so far doesn’t take any medication for that part of her heart problem. I try to let her do what she wants as much as possible. I don’t send her outside when it’s cold. She uses puppy pads. I can’t afford to get her out when it’s really windy or cold because she gets easily congested.
My vet here in Arkansas put the first pacemaker in a dog and the dog lived another 7 years. It was a small dog. I need to get him to tell me the story again. I’ve considered it for Pollie but somehow I think that’s just putting her through too much. God only knows how much I love her. She’s rattling now, laying on her bed. It’s like she’s always congested. I keep an electric blanket for her so she doesn’t get too cold. she loves snuggling up in it.
Sent: Monday, April 11, 2011 6:54 PM
Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Smidgen's Update
Wow, I can't believe that they didn't keep monitoring her heart!! Not only that, but a lot of Vets won't put a dog under even with a grade 3 murmur because it is just to risky. Me?....I would be on the phone asking them to look at her records and see if they actually did monitor it through the years and just when did it jump from a 3 to a 5? And why weren't they monitoring it? Also why didn't they tell you to put her on a strict diet when she was a grade 3...which is a big warning sign to begin with!
Anyway, when Gidet had a heart attack, I thought it was a seizure, because they do the same thing. She was constantly asking for more attention and wanted to be on my lap and she didn't seem to be able to settle down, so I guess she knew something wasn't right. I had put her down on the floor because I wanted to see how she really was and if she didn't start acting more normal I was going to take her to the Vet again in the morning. Bear in mind, I had no idea that she even had a heart murmur condition, as she was to two different Vets within the previous couple of months and neither one said anything was wrong with her heart. I put her down and she walked in circles for a minute and then she started to jump all over the place and cry out with a high pitch sound. I grabbed her up and held onto her until she stopped jumping and threw on my coat and ran her up to the Emergency Hospital at 2am and he immediately knew she had an heart attack. She
did feel much heavier and bloated in her stomach, a squishy feeling, blubbery type of feeling. They kept her their for hours, while I waited. They had removed almost 3 pounds of water from her body. They weighed her first and asked me what is her normal weight before she started to feel like she was gaining weight. I told them that she had always been 7 and 1/2 pounds. Well she was almost 10 that night and was back down to 7.25 when I left with her.... all excessive fluid! Her grade was beyond 6 when I brought her in.
So a weight gain and that bloated feeling and breathing are all indications as to whether she is getting worse or not. I think you should monitor her weight every couple of days, to see if the meds are working or not. If she gains then the meds are not working and the Vet can remove the excessive fluid before it leads into a heart attack. Had I known all of that, the outcome may have been different for my Gidget.
A couple of days later she started to get that water gain again and they switched her meds and I tried the boiled chicken and rice and Nutra-Cal to get her appetite back. A couple of more days went by and I called the Vet and they said that their wasn't to much more they could do and he felt she wasn't going to make for another two weeks, unless I wanted to put her through a heart transplant, She didn't..... a full week after the first heart attack, she apparently had another one in the middle of the night and I found her on the floor in the living room. She was 14 and 1/2. A lot of maltese's live to 18 and one is on record for 21 yrs old.
Smidgen is still young and they do have Heart Specialist for dogs. It may pay to consult with one. They could probably tell you a lot more and may be able to give you a better diet, alternative therapy etc. I think I would rather pay a Specialists then a regular Vet, only because the regulars don't seem to be qualified as to how to really explain it all and really help a dog.
-------Original Message-------
Date: 4/11/2011 5:38:40 PM
Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Smidgen's Update
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Peggy, I am not sure they followed her heart in her past check ups. Just would have the normal check ups, teeth cleaned shots, Emergencies, like when her toes were bit off her front foot the 1st day I moved in too my house 3 years ago. Then when she had to go in for her glands that ruptured. The only time her heart was brought up is when she was 12wks old, and I was just told it was a murmur. From then on nothing was ever said to me. They did do blood work up in 05 before her teeth cleaning, but said nothing about her heart.
So this was all of a shock to me! I was just under the impression it was just a murmur.
To my knowledge she has not had any heart attacks.. What should I watch for, and what should I do if she does? ![]() The vet said the pneumonia aggravated her condition, and it would have happen whether I had brought Vida home or not at some point.
Smidgen doesn't go to many places, We use to take all the dogs with us when we go to the river, in the summer, but she won't go any where now unless its too the vets. But if I do have to go some where, I would rather take her then leave her with a sitter, cause I think she would be less stressed with me then with someone. We just won't be planning any trips for a while.
From: Peggy & The Girls < [email protected]> Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Smidgen's Update To: [email protected]Date: Monday, April 11, 2011, 2:02 PM
I think it is just a coincidence that she seems worse because of the KC. KC in itself does not make a heart worse. It's the fluid build up from the pneumonia that made it worse. That's why in a previous post I asked if you had a history of dates as to when her the grade was increasing. I kinda figured you were blaming the KC and yourself. You can't do that to yourself Beth, it is not fair for your own well being. You had no way of knowing that Vida was harboring KC for that long before it showed up. For your own peace of mind, why not ask the Vet for a copy of her records? Most Vets will comply and then you can see how and when the grade level increased.
I have a feeling that she has had the enlarged heart all along, and maybe your Vet did not explain things as well as she should have to you all along. I also thought that she did have an enlarged heart when you said that you could hear the squishing sound just with your own hearing. I remember with my Gidget the Vet said that she must be kept as quiet as possible, no excitement at all, not even car rides because that does excite them and increases the heart beat and thus increases the fluid build up, which increases the heart size. It's hard, but I would think unlike my Gidget who had heart attacks, Smidgen has not had any so maybe she has a better chance of surviving much longer. You could always ask the Vet what her prognosis is, that way either you will have time to prepare yourself , or it may eliminate any fears if the Vet says the meds should make a big change in her condition and bring her back to where she was before the
pneumonia.
You know, selling your jewelry was exactly what I did too!, twice in my life for my dogs. Another time I borrowed on my insurance.
-------Original Message-------
Date: 4/11/2011 3:58:09 PM
Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Smidgen's Update
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Hi Peggy,
Well they don't say allot about the prognosis, just more about treatment. He put her on some medication that is suppose to make the heart work slower, and more efficient. But the medication is also hard on her other organs.
I feel terrible, it seems this all started cause I brought home Vida....
I went and sold all my old gold in my jewelry box, to help pay for the vet cost.. I my chickens to start laying golden eggs real soon..
From: Peggy & The Girls < [email protected]> Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Smidgen's Update To: [email protected]Date: Monday, April 11, 2011, 11:54 AM
Sorry Beth, I know it sounds scary, but what did the Vet say her prognosis is? It's great that she got through the pneumonia, that's a good sign. Maybe the new meds will help the heart?
-------Original Message-------
Date: 4/11/2011 11:41:15 AM
Subject: [Chihuahuas] Smidgen's Update
Smidgen had her re check on Saturday. She doesn't have Pneumonia anymore, they did an x-ray and her heart is very enlarged, rated a 5 out of a 6. I saw the x-rays and her heart is so big it is pushing against her lungs. She is on three medications now. Has any one else here gone through with this?
Beth
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