I remember being so depressed posting about my 6-year-old boy's hip dysplasia/osteoarthritis and cataracts here. Since then, thanks to glucosamine supplements and Ester C doses, his pain is gone. He can jump and run and play. He can also see again, since taking a supplement called Ocu-glo RX. He's been like a new dog, so confident again and happy. We had a 6th birthday party for him at the park, with his doggie friends. He was so happy and handsome.
When we got home, he bolted and got hit by a car. It was a pretty hard hit and he tumbled away, thankfully didn't go under the wheels. He was fine after, behaved normally. We brought him to the vet and no internal bleeding/contusions were seen in his x-rays.
However, incidentally, we saw that his heart was enlarged. That and a "bronchial pattern." The vet explained that some fluid was in the lungs and so he was given furosemide. To be taken for 7 days. He tested negative for heartworm. We're to observe him for a few days to really see if he suffered no injury from the car accident, but I got the impression that the vet was more concerned about the enlarged heart, but she wouldn't speak this soon about it.
I read about enlarged hearts and am so anxious about my boy. He doesn't have a cough, nor does he have difficulty breathing, but his heart rate is fast and he pants a lot. He's a little sore now from the accident and tired from all the activity the past few days.
Some sites say that a dog with an enlarged heart won't live for much longer, but do any of you have dogs that lived for several years more? We won't know until Saturday if it's a heart condition, and how progressed it is. But I would be solaced by stories of dogs making it through this. Thanks.
When we got home, he bolted and got hit by a car. It was a pretty hard hit and he tumbled away, thankfully didn't go under the wheels. He was fine after, behaved normally. We brought him to the vet and no internal bleeding/contusions were seen in his x-rays.
However, incidentally, we saw that his heart was enlarged. That and a "bronchial pattern." The vet explained that some fluid was in the lungs and so he was given furosemide. To be taken for 7 days. He tested negative for heartworm. We're to observe him for a few days to really see if he suffered no injury from the car accident, but I got the impression that the vet was more concerned about the enlarged heart, but she wouldn't speak this soon about it.
I read about enlarged hearts and am so anxious about my boy. He doesn't have a cough, nor does he have difficulty breathing, but his heart rate is fast and he pants a lot. He's a little sore now from the accident and tired from all the activity the past few days.
Some sites say that a dog with an enlarged heart won't live for much longer, but do any of you have dogs that lived for several years more? We won't know until Saturday if it's a heart condition, and how progressed it is. But I would be solaced by stories of dogs making it through this. Thanks.