My little yorkie was diagnosed with a heart murmur back last summer and up until now has shown no signs. All last week she was coughing, more so when she woke from a long sleep - not when exercising. I took her to the vets yesterday and he seems to think it maybe bronchitis (I'm hoping!) but he did say her murmur was worse. She's going in for xrays at 7.30am. I just wonder what life is going to be like for her if it turns out to be heart disease. She's such a lively little character. :(

O Sandra I hope she is alright, I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you today!!

Hope all is well Sandra, and that whatever the problem is it's controllable.

M.

My eldest Cavalier has a grade three heart murmur & it is controlled by three drugs, he still coughs when he gets up, but he's still active & happy & trots around with the younger dogs, he never was a very excitable dog, he has been "Mr Cool"from the day he arrived & he's now 10 1/2

My Cavalier Rufus has a grade 6 murmur and has been on medication for 5 years now. He will be 12 in 20 days time. :D (Big celebration coming up!) When he was 9 he went back to training club for 3 weeks as he was bored. On the first week he just practiced, second week he passed GC Silver, 3rd week he passed Gold. Since then he can't do as much, but he's still very, very happy and people often say he looks like he's about 3 years old. The WORST part of it all has been to always expect him to die. Our vet said he'd be gone before Christmas 2002, and this Christmas he said it should be impossible for any dog with a heart as bad as this to be alive, yet he is. So he's been happy all along and does what he himself feels able to (for instance, he always wants to join in if I train another dog indoors) and really hasn't been bothered much. Yes he can't go for walks now but it has all been a GRADUAL process over years, it wasn't a case of one week going for long daily walks, the next none at all, so he's got used to it just fine. It's us it's been hard for because we have that constant knowledge that he could be dead any morning when we come downstairs, and so it's had us on edge for years now. Had we known yeas ago he'd still be here today we could have relaxed more.

Hi Sandra, Hope all went well today.

Thanks everyone :) Moonmaiden and Goldmali thank you, that's very reassuring.

We'll I've just picked her up and she's fine. She has a grade 3 murmur and her heart is enlarged. Vet said to carry on as per usual with her exercise but obviously watch for any tiredness. He prescribed Enacard 2.5mg and diuretics plus 10 days of antibiotics. I've been feeling doom and gloom all day, hopefully things aren't as bad as I thought.
Thanks again x

Update: things are not great :(

We went back to see a different vet (same practice) last Friday as Belle's cough hasn't improved even though her meds were changed to Vetmedin. She was taking 1/4 of frusamide every other day but last week the vet upped this to 1/4 x 2 day, he also took a blood test which I get the results of today. I really thought I noticed a good difference in her even if it's only been a few days with more meds. But, this morning she had a fit at 6am - 3rd fit since starting meds back in March. Also, since taking more Frusamide she's wet herself in her sleep a couple of times. She seems very depressed and her breathing seems very 'jumpy'. She's slept a lot today. She's also steadily losing weight :(

I don't know, it just seems since taking medication she's worse - even with  her cough back in Feb she was still a lively little thing, not any more.
Dreading the results this evening...

Oh dear. :( I hope it's not as bad as you fear.

((((Hugs)))) Sandra, to you and Belle. Hope the news is not too bad.

M.

:) Thank you x

Belle has to go back for more Xrays next week, the vet doesn't seem to think the fits are related! Blood tests showed some abnormalities with her liver, the vet could feel it was enlarged, either that or her spleen.

Hopefully we'll know more next week.

Thanks again x

Our darling little Belle died in my arms today outside of the vets. :(

I woke this morning to her panting quite a bit and I thought something had spooked her. She couldn't seem to settle so I thought I would get the vet to take a look at her 'just to be on the safeside' - I never imagined she was nearing her end. Her heart gave out in the carpark and she was gone by the time we got inside.
          
The sweetest little dog we have ever owned - forever chasing squirrels xx

Run free at Rainbow bridge Belle
{{{{{{{{{sandra}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Lea.

I'm so very, very sorry for your loss. :(

So sorry to hear this.

I am so sorry :(

Lucy
xx

Sorry to hear this.  Terrible day for you..

I am very sorry for your loss :(

How sad, my thoughts are with you

Very sorry to hear about Belle.

So very sorry for your loss

So Sorry :-(

You're all very kind - Thank you x

Awww Sandra, only just seen this. So sorry to hear about Belle. :( Poor little love and poor you.

Hugs, M.