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Archie's heart

7K views 101 replies 62 participants last post by  mfa 
#1 ·
Archie isn't feeling well these days....he had xrays a week and a half ago...at that time the vet said his heart was slightly enlarged and had what looked like a little fluid in it. So he wanted to rule out broncitis and put him on anti-biotics - they didn't work at all.

So we went back to the vet again and this time I asked for a different doctor who I had seen once before and liked her. She took more xrays and took me back to look at them. His heart is huge! it's on a slant because it doesn't fit in the space it should be. :w00t: She can't really see any fluid though.

She says he has heart disease and there's not much we can do for him. We are making an appointment up at Garden State Hospital with a cardiologist to get an ECG, that will give us more information about it.

He coughs all night long, the poor dude is tired all the time and his tail is down. You can just tell he doesn't feel good.

Here's my boy maybe five years ago:
Dog Mammal Vertebrate Dog breed Maltepoo



Here he is last year (before he got his car canal removed in July)
Dog Mammal Vertebrate Dog breed Maltepoo



And here he is now.
Dog Mammal Vertebrate Dog breed Canidae


I know he needs a good grooming. He is going tomorrow all by himself, I was afraid to send him with the others last week, not knowing what was wrong with him.


Oh, and his ear is horrible!! It just doesn't ever get better. :unsure:

This is all scaring me. I love him so much...
 
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#29 ·
Oh Pat, I hate hearing this! I've never met you, or any of the A Team but I can tell you that I love little "Archie Dude" and I have since the first time I read about him. There's just something about that little boy that captured my heart. Now, I will pray extra hard for him that his Cardiologist can treat his condition and that it can be maintained and he'll be able to feel good again and be with us for many, many more years. My skin kid has a very bad heart condition but with the very common medication he takes daily, he'll be just fine. His name is Nicholas and every night, when we say our prayers, we pray for all the fluffs on Spoiled Maltese who have needs. He's a very special boy, just like Archie. :wub:
 
#30 ·
Pat you need to continue the lasix. The fluid is more in the lungs than heart. It is good if she did not see any fluid. But to keep fluid to be building up, he needs to stay on the lasix. Enalapril is not enough. He needs to be put on Vetmedin too. Since Vetmedin was approved to be used in the States the dogs with those kind of heart problems live longer. His enlarged heart is pressing on the trachea and makes it collapse and thus the coughing. At the end, Alex's heart was as big as the heart of a labrador. Alex was diagnosed at the age of 10 and lived one month short of 14. All thanks to the vetmedin.
 
#34 ·
Yup, that's why I asked whether he was on Vetmedin. It can't cure everybody but it can be just short of miraculous for many. My vet says he is amazed at how well so many dogs do on it, and it certainly made an amazing difference in my little elderly malt. I'm sure it added a couple of years to her life and definitely made her so much more comfortable - with no more coughing. One little chewable tablet a day that she loved as a treat and she was greatly improved.

I'll certainly be keeping your sweet little Archie in my thoughts and hope that he will recover and do so much better again quickly.
 
#37 ·
Pat - it hurts to just read about Archie not feeling well. He's been through so much with his ears and now this. :smcry: But he's your strong, kayaking dude and He can get help, I'm sure. If my mom was able to get her heart under control at 83 Archie can conquer this with the right meds. I agree about the lasix. When my mom had CHF she had it differently than most people. Most people had fluid on the lungs and around the heart...for her it went to her abdomen. I forget what it's called but her belly would get all distended and then push up on her lungs and she'd be short of breath and cough. The lasix helped that a lot and we would adjust as we'd hear how she was doing. I got so good at it that I could call her over the phone and know how "wet" she was. The other medication that was suggested sounds good too and it might be a combo to make Archie feel better. Don't give up. :wub: You really do need a cardiologist for him and an echocardiogram. I have mitral valve prolapse so my cardio checks that a couple of times a year to see if and where there might be an issue. I would do anything in the world to make Archie feel better. I love that boy and have been lucky enough to meet him. We're all here and we're all praying for him.
 
#39 ·
Oh Pat! I'm so sorry to hear about your sweet boy! I know more about doctoring a horse than I do a dog but it sounds like there are resources out there which may possibly improve Archie's quality of life/health. I hope so. He looks like such a sweet soul and I can tell from all your posts how much you live your babies. I will be praying for Archie. Hugs from Bella and I.
 
#41 ·
Pat - I was just thinking - does Archie stress at the groomer at all? If so you might want to hold off until you get to the cardiologist. Don't want to put him under more stress than necessary right now. Tyler adores his groomer so is fine but I know not every dog is that way.
 
#42 ·
I'm so sorry about Archie, my Einie had CHF and an enlarged heart... they gave him Lasix to keep the fluid off. I remember him caughing too... He'd get tired on walks so I'd have to pick him up, when we got close to the house, he'd want me to put him down so the other dogs wouldn't see me carrying him... He was such a funny boy!
 
#43 ·
Aww, Pat. please know you and Archie are in my heart and prayers. Today I was able to go to church and light candles, since my Crisse died. Believe me when I say I lit rows and rows. We're definitely covered for a while. Please give your guy, no, not Stan, your Archie kisses from me. I love him.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxox
 
#45 ·
Aww, Pat. please know you and Archie are in my heart and prayers. Today I was able to go to church and light candles, since my Crisse died. Believe me when I say I lit rows and rows. We're definitely covered for a while. Please give your guy, no, not Stan, your Archie kisses from me. I love him.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxox

Sue, the vet asked the same thing...if he gets stressed at the groomer. No, he's a pretty mellow guy...I'll carry him in there today though, that's the hardest part for him...:blush:, and I'll send plenty of treats. Actually treats make him stop coughing for a bit. I'll tell them to take it easy on him - my gosh he really needs a grooming!!
 
#48 ·
Sending you a big hug, Pat! I know what a special little guy Archie is and why you love him so much! Kitzel has a temperament a lot like his. . . so easy to love!

I had my little grand-dog before he passed and he had a heart issue---there is lots that can be done, so will pray for good treatment. It has been a rough year for all of you and I do hope things get better from now on! Sending my love.
 
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