Michelle and Doodle
Member Since 2009
Doodle had his cardiology appt. yesterday but we weren't able to see the internal med vet due to an emergency.
I tried to record the sounds he's making but I kept getting more background noise than his actual breathing. (That was an excellent idea Sienne! - though I'm not surprised since you always have good ideas!!)
Anyway, she said that his murmur wasn't as bad as my vet had thought - which is good I guess. (?)
I have a report for anyone who's interested but without having to wade through it all, the diagnosis was:
1. Asymmetric septal hypertrophy (Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy)
and 2. Inspiratory wheezes - likely secondary to lower airway disease.
She wasn't able to determine if the HCM is secondary to his hypertension, hyperthyroidism (for which we know he is grey zone) or if it's idiopathic.
Basically though, the cause is less important than what to do...So we are to continue the same meds... but reduce his sub-q fluids to 50ml a day and hope that is sufficient to help with his renal disease while not throwing him into congestive heart failure. And just monitor him.
As far as the airway disease, the report I got says "rule out asthma vs. emphysema vs. bronchitis" -- I'm not sure why she couldn't say which one. (?) Perhaps it's not easy to tell. (?) She did give me a script for an emergency albuterol inhaler and an Aerokat. She said she was just not comfortable adding another med that might make his diabetes more difficult to manage because that would ultimately effect his kidneys - but that obviously if his breathing became any more of an issue, we'd have no choice. -- But for now she doesn't want to treat unless it gets worse due to the fact that the meds would be either steroids or something cleared through the kidneys.
She very compassionately told me that it was only a matter of time until we wouldn't be able to balance all of this... and that I needed to keep his quality of life in mind.
He now has diabetes, kidney disease, an adrenal disorder, heart disease, lower airway disease and is questionably hyperthyroid.
I'm of course very sad... but still hopeful that we have more good days ahead.
(click to see the love of my life)
I tried to record the sounds he's making but I kept getting more background noise than his actual breathing. (That was an excellent idea Sienne! - though I'm not surprised since you always have good ideas!!)
Anyway, she said that his murmur wasn't as bad as my vet had thought - which is good I guess. (?)
I have a report for anyone who's interested but without having to wade through it all, the diagnosis was:
1. Asymmetric septal hypertrophy (Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy)
and 2. Inspiratory wheezes - likely secondary to lower airway disease.
She wasn't able to determine if the HCM is secondary to his hypertension, hyperthyroidism (for which we know he is grey zone) or if it's idiopathic.
Basically though, the cause is less important than what to do...So we are to continue the same meds... but reduce his sub-q fluids to 50ml a day and hope that is sufficient to help with his renal disease while not throwing him into congestive heart failure. And just monitor him.
As far as the airway disease, the report I got says "rule out asthma vs. emphysema vs. bronchitis" -- I'm not sure why she couldn't say which one. (?) Perhaps it's not easy to tell. (?) She did give me a script for an emergency albuterol inhaler and an Aerokat. She said she was just not comfortable adding another med that might make his diabetes more difficult to manage because that would ultimately effect his kidneys - but that obviously if his breathing became any more of an issue, we'd have no choice. -- But for now she doesn't want to treat unless it gets worse due to the fact that the meds would be either steroids or something cleared through the kidneys.
She very compassionately told me that it was only a matter of time until we wouldn't be able to balance all of this... and that I needed to keep his quality of life in mind.
He now has diabetes, kidney disease, an adrenal disorder, heart disease, lower airway disease and is questionably hyperthyroid.
I'm of course very sad... but still hopeful that we have more good days ahead.
(click to see the love of my life)
What a great shot. 
