Dog cough and heart failure
3 questions from dog owners about a dog that is coughing, and older dogs with heart disease, each answered in writing by a licensed veterinarian. Got your own? Ask a vet.
Dog with a cough who needs vaccines, and no money for a vet
Sorry I can’t help with this post. Good luck, but you could look around your area for community clinics they may have lower prices. Humane society’s also sometimes hold clinics that are at reduced prices.
Answered by Dylan Wilson, DVM · KY license 293504
16-year-old Yorkshire Terrier with heart disease, recurrent pulmonary edema and kidney dysfunction
I see you provided the rest of the information. Rule of thumb for emergency azotemia is that halfing the highest creatinine value is considered a successful management for the aoztemia. Kidney damage is not reversible due to having a set number of nephrons that take damage with kidney injury events. I suspect at a physiological level that the diuretic efficiency has decreased as there are less nephrons for the medication to work on. You have to increase dosages to achieve a therapeutic level (level where the drug actually works). The only other medical management help I can think is to add a thiazide diuretic or sodium sparing diuretic to work at another level of the nephron. Those additions would require frequent bloodwork to make sure electrolyte abnoramilities won't develop. Unfortunately, his kidneys may be unable to keep up with a balanced fluid state due to his progression and he will keep having fluid backup into his lungs.
Answered by Dylan Wilson, DVM · KY license 293504
Senior Yorkie with mitral valve disease: pulmonary edema keeps recurring and kidney values worsen on diuretics
Sorry to hear about your Yorkie. I think the post may have cut off as I get information up to "His appetite and general behavior improved, and he became interested in his surroundings again." What is his current medication regiment aside from the torasemide? What was his medical management and dosages for the 1.5 years the condition was stable? Unfortunately, diuretic treatment, especially in his case with high dose emergency situations, can lead to kidney deterioration. I see omega 3 fatty acids as a supplement for chronic kidney prevention. Likewise, there are prescription renal diets as well. I need a more detailed medical management history to see if the pulmonary edema is from an unfortunate loss of drug efficiency with progression of his condition and what all modalities have been tried.
Answered by Dylan Wilson, DVM · KY license 293504
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