Old dog on Epiphen

Marsh_Samphire

Quick update: nearly lost her yesterday, she ballooned up with fluid overnight so rushed her back to the vet. They drained 1/2 litre from her abdomen and injected Frusamide (diuretic) into her jugular because they couldn't get a vein on any of her legs. They said it was complications from the Epiphen and her heart condition so they've also increased her heart meds and given us more diuretic pills. She seems a bit brighter today and has been eating and taking her meds OK. We're due back to the vet on Saturday morning. Spoiling her rotten in the meantime with chicken, fish and rice!

KVet

Has she had full bloods done? Usually small dogs get left sided heart failure which may well progress to right sided heart failure (which causes ascites) but also liver probs can cause ascites and Epiphen is broken down in the Liver so any abnormality there will cause more damage etc. Just checking!

Marsh_Samphire

KVet wrote: »

Has she had full bloods done? Usually small dogs get left sided heart failure which may well progress to right sided heart failure (which causes ascites) but also liver probs can cause ascites and Epiphen is broken down in the Liver so any abnormality there will cause more damage etc. Just checking!

Thanks, I'll ask the vet about that, her next appointment is on Saturday morning.

The swelling is gone down noticeably now so the diuretics are doing the job.

RacyRed

I'm so sorry to read about her set back.

How did she get on today?

Marsh_Samphire

It's not looking good at the moment. We saw the vet yesterday morning and the diuretics are working and she seemed to be improving. But she yesterday afternoon she refused to eat - not even chicken and rice or any of her favourite treats. She is still drinking water.

I couldn't get her to take any of her pills yesterday evening or this morning, I tried crushing them up in cheese and all the things that have worked before but she was getting quite stressed.

I don't think she is in pain but without her heart meds it will be game over fairly soon. I don't want her to suffer but I'm not sure if letting her heart pack up on it's own or having her PTS is the best thing. We have another appointment booked on Monday.

RacyRed

Marsh_Samphire wrote: »

It's not looking good at the moment. We saw the vet yesterday morning and the diuretics are working and she seemed to be improving. But she yesterday afternoon she refused to eat - not even chicken and rice or any of her favourite treats. She is still drinking water.

I couldn't get her to take any of her pills yesterday evening or this morning, I tried crushing them up in cheese and all the things that have worked before but she was getting quite stressed.

I don't think she is in pain but without her heart meds it will be game over fairly soon. I don't want her to suffer but I'm not sure if letting her heart pack up on it's own or having her PTS is the best thing. We have another appointment booked on Monday.

Oh no, poor little thing. Fingers crossed for her. xxx

Marsh_Samphire

I phoned the vet who suggested getting the pills in by crushing them up in a little water and squirting them into her throat with a syringe, which sort of worked - not totally sure how much went in as she spat some of it back on me! So she's had her heart pills and diuretics that way. She's still shaking all the time but the vet said that could be electrolyte imbalance due to all the drinking and peeing she's doing, and not because she's in pain. The vet will phone in the morning to check on her and her appointment is 3pm tomorrow.

I had a cuppa with a rich tea biscuit earlier and she looked very interested in that, so I dunked the biscuit and gave it to her - she ate the whole thing.

Don't know whether I'm coming or going at the moment!

paddypaws101

I have been following your thread and just wanted to pop in to offer sympathy. You must be having a terrible time deciding what to do with your little dog.
Glad she liked her tea and biscuits....Would she lick butter? I have cats so it is a little different but I have found that crushing meds up in butter can help...sometimes I smear it on the leg so they lick it off.

Marsh_Samphire

Thanks for the butter suggestion - I think she would like that. Although I don't want her to lick her legs too much because she was so swollen up last week that fluid was seeping out of her legs through her skin. And her legs are shaved where the vet tried to find a vein before giving up and going for the jugular. So her legs are sore and a bit scabby and she also has a shaved neck and bruising from the injection so she really looks like she has been through it at the moment.

The syringe method is working well so far, she has had all her heart meds this morning and then ate a little chicken and rice, so that is more than she has eaten all weekend.

Vet again this afternoon so will update again later. Thanks for the support everyone, much appreciated!

Tulip

I am reading your thread also and have followed everything,hope all goes well for your dog