Oh Donna I am so, so sorry. Damn stuff will catch up to them eventually. I was hoping for a miracle for Toby, also. You know we are going down the same road and i dread the time Snorkels reaches that point. Her murmer was just upgraded to a 4.

I will be very interested to see if there are other holistic approaches. I am giving her a ton of omega 3s and fats, and just good rich meat, but I don't know what else to do.

Here's hoping there is another miracle for Toby. This is just awful.

 

Thanks for the well wishes for my little Toby.
I'm not sure any of us would be okay if something happened to Snorkels. So tell her to be good, don't eat strange things, don't run too fast in the heat and get too tired, and just plan to live to about 80. That should make all of us happy. And it sounds like a reasonable demand. :smile:

 

aw, jeez, donna...i know all of this is circle of life, but sometimes it just sucks...

i'm sorry.

mayhap you can walk over to holistic and liz could give you some therapeutic palliatives that would help with his comfort?

 

I am so sorry! It is so hard when you can see them declining. I hope someone can suggest something helpful.

 

Isn't CoQ10 supposed to be really good for their hearts? So, either eating a lot of heart meat, or supplementing with CoQ10 could help.....maybe....

I have no experience, sorry! I did have a dog with CHF once, but I was like 6 or 7.

Thinking good thoughts for your boy =(

 

I'm afraid that I don't know of anything special to help. I know that I tried everything with Chelsy and kept going as long as possible with her. That's about all we can do with our babies, and hope we know when it's time to stop.

Maybe Liz will have some miracle medicine. I'm trying to learn about essential oils and holistic medicine from my new puppies breeder and figure maybe that will be a new direction I can take with the dogs. There is always a new thing to learn and a healthier way to do things for our babies.

 

Donna, I am so sorry to hear about your little one. I have been researching and this is the best information I can find and has the best variety. I would focus on a couple of things like Vitamins A, C and E. Hawthorn and Milk Thistle are two others I would concentrate on. I am sorry you are going through this. It is so hard when they start fading. Maybe some of this will help give you a little more time.

 

sorry to put you on the spot, liz...i actually wasn't looking for miracles....something palliative....was more my thinking...

 

No, no, miracles are good. Don't back peddle on me now. We all know Liz can take the pressure. :wink:
Okay, I'll look into some supplements for him. I also have decided (because like I've said before, I do play a vet on TV) that I'm gonna up his dose of vetmedin a bit and I started that today. It is actually the med that has helped him the most because from what I understand it doesn't just mask symptoms it actually helps the heart to work more efficiently.
Also, most of his diet consists of beef heart so hopefully that's a good thing. I'll keep you guys posted on his progress and will get him those supplements! Thanks guys! You're the best!

 

I lost 2 dogs to CHF in the past 6 years. I surely wish I knew of a miracle, then or now. I found this site a while back when I was looking for information on another subject. You could take a look see and maybe there's something there that could help your baby to at least be more comfortable.

Dog Heart Problems | Natural Remedies for Heart Disease in Dogs

In any case, my heart goes out to you, and I wish the best for you both.

 

if you can't fix his heart, can you help his circulation? and his immune system?

maybe with co q10, some bovine colostrum, maybe a probiotic to make sure the gut flora is nice a populated with friendly bacteria to offset the meds....

i wonder if ginger would help.....what else is good for circulation?

 

This is the information I was looking for but I think I would put mine on L Carnitine and Hawthorne as well as some vitamin E, A, C and B. Anyway I hope this give you some direction to supplement. I am so sorry. They are so small and precious I can;t imagine what you are going through. A little pressure is good - I can take it. No promises but maybe a little more comfortable time?!


Herbal Remedies
Use herbs to strengthen your dog's heart, stimulate blood circulation and stimulate the kidneys to get rid of excess fluids in the lungs and other organs. Hawthorne is an anti-oxidant that strengthens arteries. It dilates blood vessels, strengthens a weak heartbeat and removes free radicals so the blood has more oxygen. Ginseng regulates heart rate and provides energy to dogs with congestive heart failure. Cayenne stimulates the circulatory system and makes nerves and blood vessels stronger. Garlic lowers cholesterol, reduces fat in arteries and prevents blood clots. Dandelions are rich in potassium, which is good for the heart, and they reduce fluid buildup caused by congestive heart failure. Parsley also acts as a diuretic to reduce fluid buildup that makes the heart work too hard. Ginkgo improves blood circulation and keeps blood vessels elastic.





Supplements
Dogs with congestive heart failure are often given medication that can cause side effects that worsen the condition. Supplements can be used with or without other medicine to strengthen your dog's heart. Antioxidants including vitamin E, A, C and B remove free radicals and can improve your dog's tolerance for exercise, heart rate, and lipid patterns. Homeopathic supplements such as calcium fluoride keep blood pressure at normal levels. Fatty acids, such as fish oil, evening primrose, or borage oil help protect muscle cells. Amino acids, such as L Carnitine and L Taurine improve hearth rhythm, lower lipid levels, improve heart rate, slow heart failure and lengthen life expectancy in animals. L Carnitine helps cells carry fuel to the heart and L Taurine helps the heart provide potassium. Minerals including magnesium and selenium help heart function. Co-enzyme Q10 strengthens heart muscles and allows more oxygen to reach blood vessels.

 

Thanks so much Liz! I'll get started with some Hawthorne and see how it goes.

 

Donna I am going to keep you and Toby in my thoughts and prayers.