Can someone advise us on what care to take in relation to a maltese x pomeranian (9 months old) that came to us as a very scruffy stray last week. Has a heart defect and will probably not live a long life. He is a lovely dog, but sleeps quite a bit and tends to sneeze after drinking. What care do we need to take with this sort of problem? He is bright, alert and the only sign there is something amiss is the sleeping and lack of appetite - he chooses to "graze" instead.
What steps should we take to make his life a little more easier? Are there special diets we should follow?
Heart defect
what defect.. patent ductus?????or what if a PD
which is the most common type defect...there is surgery that can correct it, some dogs live long wlives with nothing...see if you can get a little more info as to the type of heart problem
I agree with Davet...msg
a heart murmur or defect is not necessarily a death sentence. Like Davet said, many congenital defects (such as PDA) can be corrected with surgery. Is there a veterinary cardiologist in your area? It might be worth a visit, especially if your vet thinks it is in order. Good luck and let us know what you find out.
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Kylie
Heart probs
Thank you for your replies.
The vet had a listen to the dogs heart and actually took a couple of steps back because he was so shocked at what he had heard. He said he COULD operate but he said that judging by the state of this little ones heart that it may not be a good idea. He said there may be something wrong with the valves as there was a "whooshing" noise (similar to a heart murmur) but quite loud. He also mentioned it could be a problem with the actual chamber of the heart as well and he did recommend taking the dog to a cardio vet. Otherwise he said the dog will be fine as long as he was allowed to sleep when he wanted to sleep (which he does very often) and that he was not to get stressed, avoid excessive heat and cold, not to get overweight and only short walks.
He said that the dog could live for a couple of years, or could live until it was really old - depends on many factors.
Will keep you updated, of course.
Thanks again.
The vet had a listen to the dogs heart and actually took a couple of steps back because he was so shocked at what he had heard. He said he COULD operate but he said that judging by the state of this little ones heart that it may not be a good idea. He said there may be something wrong with the valves as there was a "whooshing" noise (similar to a heart murmur) but quite loud. He also mentioned it could be a problem with the actual chamber of the heart as well and he did recommend taking the dog to a cardio vet. Otherwise he said the dog will be fine as long as he was allowed to sleep when he wanted to sleep (which he does very often) and that he was not to get stressed, avoid excessive heat and cold, not to get overweight and only short walks.
He said that the dog could live for a couple of years, or could live until it was really old - depends on many factors.
Will keep you updated, of course.
Thanks again.
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Patrick
heart defect
My Dad takes a supplement for his congestive heart failure called "Co-q-10 " or "co-enzyme Q10". He said it REALY helps with his endurance. It helps the heart utilize oxygen better. It is also used in dogs as well. I'm sure it will help your dog too. The kind to get are the gel-caps, which are better absorbed than the regular capsules. Try 30 mgs 3x a day. Carlson is a good brand. ----------Patrick
