We were shocked last Thursday at our dog Lily's annual physical when we found out she had an abnormal heart rhythm. Thoracic radiographs showed an enlarged heart & perhaps a slight amount of fluid. There was suspicion for Dilated Cardiomyopathy with an arrhythmia.
Our vet strongly recommended that we immediately go to a vet hospital ER and stay overnight so to see a cardiologist Friday and have an echocardiogram done.
The ER doctor warned us of the severity of Lily's condition, tachycardic with a heart rate of 240-250bpm, and the ECG monitor showed an arrhythmia called attrial fibrillation. She spoke of dire consequences with one alternative being euthanasia if we didn't want to have her go through all the testing and $4000 expense.
The hospital initially used three doses of Diltiazem intravenously, 5-10 minutes apart, which after the second dose brought her heart rate down to 180bpm.
We decided to bring her home after a few hours, knowing that her car ride to both vets was terribly difficult (normally car travel raises her heart rate) and spending an overnight away from us would also be extremely taxing and stressful for her.
They sent us home with oral Diltiazem 30mg (1 tablet 3X/day)
and Frusemide 40mg (1.5 tablets 2X/day).
The first thing I did was pull out my 5-6 veterinary homeopathic books and read recommendations. I opted to go with Don Hamilton's suggestions:
CoQ10, Taurine, L-Carnitine, ACV in water, Flaxseed oil and borage oil. I'm also adding hawthorne berry tea (1TB.-uncertain about amount to give??) twice a day, and fresh organic dandelion greens (but wondering if dried leaf &roots sprinkles would be better to avoid an possible allergic reaction)? Most importantly, I've started back on a homemade diet!
Since joining GOLD a few days ago, I've read and listened to the WEALTH of information on your site, so am learning more about diet, vitality, pulse taking, BEAM, and your supplemental recommendations.
Apparently I should have purchased Ubiquinol/CoQ10 and D-Ribose??? I read some on the forum have numerous supplements so I'm really wanting to get your expertise on what might be best for Lily.
I'm racking my brain to determine the best homeopathic remedy for Lily. She currently is taking Conium LM3. I thought it had been helping her since some of her cystic tumors seemed to be getting smaller/ and disappearing!
The vet also found her ears were infected with yeast, bacterial and prescribed Mometamax 15g. She's NEVER had an ear infection before.
I've weaned her off the Frusemide, and have lowered her dose of Diltiazem to 2x/day rather than 3.
As for her ears, we stopped the Mometamax and should be receiving Zymox Ear Cleanser /out steroid today.
My biggest concern is getting her off the Diltiazem and onto the correct homeopathic.
Homeopathically
Problematic: Arrthymia
Growls at bowl before eating
Peculiar: Sitting on mid stair level ameliorates
Prominent:She LOVES being out in the hot sun
Persistent: tumors, abdomen, tail
AS for BEAM:
Behavior: Last few days resting rate is pretty good; 24-30. Has seemed more wanting, sometimes with soft whining. I expect that she's needed to urinate more from meds and diet changes, so we're out more often and slowing down on our walks.Has always seem acute to smells. She did leak some urine a few days ago on the Lasix.
Has always been startled by loud noises, more now with fireworks!
Energy: Really delighted to greet us yesterday after we had gone out, seemed puppy like. Yet sleeps most of the day, occasionally wanting to be left out in the hot sunshine(10 minute max).Occasional coughing up, like hawking, sometimes a bit of clear saliva. A few months ago was vomiting up small amounts of yellow egg yolk like liquid. That seemed to improve on the Conium.
Appetite: First home cooked meal she loved, she loves chicken , not so much beef. Now a bit pickier, not eating red peppers or blueberries. I'm needing to buy some organic organ meats and bones.
Mood:Sometimes barking can sound aggressive meeting certain dogs on walks.
Will sometimes show teeth growling when I put meals down and say "release."
Has been more apt to gobble up chicken without any fuss.
Okay, maybe this is an overload of info, it sounds like an airplane manual! If I overstepped my boundaries with questions, please forgive me! I'm just hoping to get some direction and if possible, wean her off the Diltiazem.
Thank you!
Our vet strongly recommended that we immediately go to a vet hospital ER and stay overnight so to see a cardiologist Friday and have an echocardiogram done.
The ER doctor warned us of the severity of Lily's condition, tachycardic with a heart rate of 240-250bpm, and the ECG monitor showed an arrhythmia called attrial fibrillation. She spoke of dire consequences with one alternative being euthanasia if we didn't want to have her go through all the testing and $4000 expense.
The hospital initially used three doses of Diltiazem intravenously, 5-10 minutes apart, which after the second dose brought her heart rate down to 180bpm.
We decided to bring her home after a few hours, knowing that her car ride to both vets was terribly difficult (normally car travel raises her heart rate) and spending an overnight away from us would also be extremely taxing and stressful for her.
They sent us home with oral Diltiazem 30mg (1 tablet 3X/day)
and Frusemide 40mg (1.5 tablets 2X/day).
The first thing I did was pull out my 5-6 veterinary homeopathic books and read recommendations. I opted to go with Don Hamilton's suggestions:
CoQ10, Taurine, L-Carnitine, ACV in water, Flaxseed oil and borage oil. I'm also adding hawthorne berry tea (1TB.-uncertain about amount to give??) twice a day, and fresh organic dandelion greens (but wondering if dried leaf &roots sprinkles would be better to avoid an possible allergic reaction)? Most importantly, I've started back on a homemade diet!
Since joining GOLD a few days ago, I've read and listened to the WEALTH of information on your site, so am learning more about diet, vitality, pulse taking, BEAM, and your supplemental recommendations.
Apparently I should have purchased Ubiquinol/CoQ10 and D-Ribose??? I read some on the forum have numerous supplements so I'm really wanting to get your expertise on what might be best for Lily.
I'm racking my brain to determine the best homeopathic remedy for Lily. She currently is taking Conium LM3. I thought it had been helping her since some of her cystic tumors seemed to be getting smaller/ and disappearing!
The vet also found her ears were infected with yeast, bacterial and prescribed Mometamax 15g. She's NEVER had an ear infection before.
I've weaned her off the Frusemide, and have lowered her dose of Diltiazem to 2x/day rather than 3.
As for her ears, we stopped the Mometamax and should be receiving Zymox Ear Cleanser /out steroid today.
My biggest concern is getting her off the Diltiazem and onto the correct homeopathic.
Homeopathically
Problematic: Arrthymia
Growls at bowl before eating
Peculiar: Sitting on mid stair level ameliorates
Prominent:She LOVES being out in the hot sun
Persistent: tumors, abdomen, tail
AS for BEAM:
Behavior: Last few days resting rate is pretty good; 24-30. Has seemed more wanting, sometimes with soft whining. I expect that she's needed to urinate more from meds and diet changes, so we're out more often and slowing down on our walks.Has always seem acute to smells. She did leak some urine a few days ago on the Lasix.
Has always been startled by loud noises, more now with fireworks!
Energy: Really delighted to greet us yesterday after we had gone out, seemed puppy like. Yet sleeps most of the day, occasionally wanting to be left out in the hot sunshine(10 minute max).Occasional coughing up, like hawking, sometimes a bit of clear saliva. A few months ago was vomiting up small amounts of yellow egg yolk like liquid. That seemed to improve on the Conium.
Appetite: First home cooked meal she loved, she loves chicken , not so much beef. Now a bit pickier, not eating red peppers or blueberries. I'm needing to buy some organic organ meats and bones.
Mood:Sometimes barking can sound aggressive meeting certain dogs on walks.
Will sometimes show teeth growling when I put meals down and say "release."
Has been more apt to gobble up chicken without any fuss.
Okay, maybe this is an overload of info, it sounds like an airplane manual! If I overstepped my boundaries with questions, please forgive me! I'm just hoping to get some direction and if possible, wean her off the Diltiazem.
Thank you!
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