Hello everyone
Sorry this is long.
Im in need of advice please.
I have a 12yr old Cavalier who has stage 5+ heart murmer. She has been diagnosed for a few years now, and is on medication.
We first found out she had a heart murmer aged 7, no medication was needed and we kept a close check on her.
Last year she collapsed while out for a walk, vets checked her over and said heart needed help..so Vetmedin was prescribed.
She has been on this for a year now, but it doesn't seem to be working aswell as in the begining. Took her to the vets 2wks ago, she was prescribed  Benazecare to be given alongside the Vetmedin... There doesn't appear to be any change, I rang the vet after she started weeing in the house, and took her back last week with a urine sample. The test apparently showed very high protein levels,(off the scale according to the vet) indicative to kidney failure or bladder cancer..he said they could do MRI, and all the tests he could think of, but it wouldn't change anything. He prescribed another month of Vetmedin and Benazecare and told us to take her back on 14th feb and we had to decide what to do, but if she got any worse to take her back sooner. I know I cant expect her live forever, but Im devastated at the thought of losing her.

Benazecare is used to treat renal insufficiency in cats as well as heart failure in dogs, so I wonder if your vet is using it to treat your dog for renal insufficiency in your Cavalier ?

You may wish to discuss alternative medications such as Fortekor plus(combination of pimobendan and benazepril)specifically developed for treatment of dogs with Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD)instead of the Vetmedin & Benazecare. (Fortekor plus is a relatively new drug BTW)

There is also Prilactone Next which can be used in tandem with Fortekor plus.

Is your girl on any diurectics like Furosemide ?

I’m glad of your post Ann R Smith, it reminded me of the drug name- fortekor

My last dog suffered from DCM diagnosed when she was 11 years. She was prescribed with Vetmedin and Frusimide which worked very well for her and she survived another 3 and 1/2 years. During her last year she began to go downhill a bit and the vet added Fortekor to the mix saying that it had been originally designed for kidney issues but had been found to help with the heart as well. She picked up again and was well until her last couple of months when her kidneys began to fail and we let her go.

It might be worth talking to you vet about Fortekor

Thankyou for replying,
I did ask the vet if the was any other medication he could or would advise trying...he said no, at this stage it wasn't worth it.
Up until now I have had total faith in our vet, but when I questioned something I wasn't sure about the attitude changed...I wasn't rude, but the vet took it as a criticism, it certainly wasn't. I will ring today and ask about Fortekor though.
My girl is sleeping an awful lot more and is drinking loads, she has intermittent diaroo and sickness, one or 2 days a week, which the vet knows about, she has lost weight aswell...he said her body is basically shutting down, she is taking protein from her muscles to keep her heart going...He made me feel guilty for wanting to try other options

Unfortunately some vets have closed minds & are reluctant to review their tried & tested treatments. When new drugs come onto the market that have been specifically developed for animals rather than human drugs adapted for animal use they generally produce better responses. Vetmedin is quite an old drug now being 15 years plus down the line and is being redeveloped. It was originally developed for use in Dobermanns who have a slightly different form of MMVD to smaller dogs. 

If your vet won't discuss changing your dogs treatment, go elsewhere, you are a paying customer not a patient contracted to exclusive medical treatment.