Update on Sheik; Congestive heart failure

Hey everyone!

Sorry for the lack of book post today, I just had a rough week and I felt like sharing about it! In case you didn’t know, Sheik is my 10 year old Dachshund with a dapple pattern (black & tan, with a speckle of grey). She had been diagnosed with mitral valve disease last year (read that here)

Overall she had been without symptoms, taking a capsule of vetmedin twice a day; 1030am & 1030pm. I was told to monitor her breathing and it had all been fine (under 30/35). Her only sign of being sick was exercice fatigue, she’ll hyperventilate after a while, and as a ball fanatic, we had to slow her down and actually take the ball away.

She also has seasonal allergies; and around the time we left on vacation we saw that she had some mucus build up. Didn’t thought much of it and kept going, when she would sneeze it out we would pull on it and that would be that. We just thought the humidex going 40+ degrees and the fires didn’t help.

Unfortunately, i guess it wasn’t allergies… mother woke me up on the morning of thursday 18th with my girl having trouble breathing and barely moving. Still thinking it was stuck mucus, I tried to give her hot shower vapor and put water on her; as it didn’t work I called the vet and was admit at 930am.

As we arrived they soon took her and placed on oxygen. It was our regular vet so she knew about her heart condition (despite the cardiologist telling us all was great and better just last month!). She promptly gave us a quote for some xrays and to send the images to a radiologist to read. At 11am she got the confirmation my girl did had fluid on her lungs and a congestive heart failure on the left side, as her heart was quite enlarged.

We were given the choice of keeping her there, they would give her medication trying to stabilise her and we might have her back at 5pm, or we could transfer her at the ER and she might stay the night. Not liking that ER much, we opted for the first option.

Our vet talked with our cardiologist and figured a medication plan for her; furosemide & spirinolactone twice a day. Thankfully mother was able to pick her up at supper time.

That weekend was incredibly tough.. I had skip work on friday as I had a migraine, but Sheik was looking terribly ill, not moving nor eating. Being our foodie of the gang, it was evident she wasn’t feeling herself. Kafei on the other hand, had taken her place eating everything 🤦🏽‍♀️ She had increased her drinking, as expected, but I had to pick her up and drop on the grass and back as she’d stay laying down. The vet did call to take news of her doing, took notes and didn’t seem too worried. We made an appointment for in two weeks to have a blood test to check her potassium aswell as more xrays to check the progress and if the medications are right.

Saturday and sunday had little improvements, she was definately moving more but would only eat maybe half a meal a day instead of two meals a day. I was struggling to give her medication as she wouldn’t eat; the two smalls were fine but her big one was such a pain. Later that sunday she started barking!! Though that made her cough, it was a definite sign she was getting herself again, she even jumped in her brother’s cat tree aswell. Trying to be a cat to eat his food.

As i’m writing this, she’s finally getting better improvement! She’s back to eating, so fingers crossed no more struggling with meds. Although she is having caughing fits and mucus expulsion (though that won’t really stop, fluid on lungs and all that). She also need less lifts and can walk on her own- the only thing is she’ll want help for stairs but they shouldn’t use them regardless for their backs.. so that’s fine.

I’m so relieved she’s on the upward! Though my mother is still an anxious wreck when she coughs.. we just need to get used to it. Even when she was on the low not moving and shaking, she still didn’t look like a dog on the verge of death- just sick. Although we could’ve lost her at on’y 2years old, ofcourse I want more time! I’m not ready, so i’m happy she doesn’t give me the signs yet- if I could keep her another 5yrs..