Canine cardiomyopathy occurs in dogs between the ages of four and ten years. It occurs more often in large dogs and is often congenital. It is more common in certain breeds such as German Shepherds, Doberman Pinchers and Golden Retrievers. Hamilton will be four years old in May. He is 65 pounds and, among other types, is largely German Shepherd. He was diagnosed with Canine Cardiomyopathy on March 30.
It started with a light cough in February that lasted into March. In addition, he would sometimes balk at walking and didn't have the same enthusiasm for playing as he once had. We went on a brief vacation in March and when we returned the cough was getting more frequent and deeper. We made an appointment with his vet who at first thought it was a virus or an allergy. During the check up she noticed a change in his heartbeat from his last visit.
She suggested having it checked out before we treated the cough as she didn't want to prescribe the wrong type of medicine for the cough if there was a heart issue to take into consideration. She said I should not worry because he was in good health and there wasn't likely to be anything serious. Let's just get that heart rhythm checked just to be certain. Hamilton sat on the scale in her office, his head cocked upwards in that quixotic gesture he often takes when he's trying to figure something out.
We were able to get him an appointment for that Sunday to have an electrocardiogram and ultra sound done of his heart. Nothing to worry about, just to check.
We dropped him off at 9 A.M. The night before he had slept in the bathroom, unusual for him, seeking a darker, cooler spot than our bedroom. Walking him to the car he had to stop three times because of his coughing. After breakfast we waited at home. The call came at 11:30 A.M. Hamilton was at risk of sudden death. His heart was enlarged resulting in congestive heart failure. The cough was the result of the fluids building up in his lungs. The Tribeca Animal Hospital had called a canine cardiologist in Chelsea and strongly recommended we take Hamilton there immediately. They had already forwarded the exam results.
We rushed him to the Fifth Avenue Veterinary Specialists and 24-Hour Emergency Care Facility in Chelsea. He was now under the care of Dr. Jean-Sebastien Boileau, DVM, DACVIM ( Cardiology ). My wife and I were now incidental to Hamilton's life.
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Ironically, your blog popped up the other day when i did a simple search for Dr. Boileau's address... I'd scheduled my first appointment for Choriza (my 13 year old feminized version of the popular Spanish sausage I'd previously enjoyed consuming in my meat eating days). Her petite rescued heart (at 4 mos. from the shoulder of a local highway) is in similar shape to your Hamiltom's.
Though not a blog reader or writer, I couldn't help but notice the incredible amount of love you and your wife have for your boy. Hence I felt compelled to respond (and perhaps offer a soucon of useful info I've learned in my crummy cardiac journey.
"Yippee" (or perhaps "big deal") you say (since heart disease seems to be as rampant in pets as it is in humans). Not to mention that you are probably thinking how lucky I am to have a 13 year old.
In all honesty, I don't feel v. lucky as Chihuahuas can live well into their teens. Add'lly, in some part due to the (not to boast) exceptional preventive attention/care I have learned to apply as a function of past pet heartaches, I do not feel triumphant.
Until less than a year ago, I would say to my vet that Choriza would live to be 20, and she'd respond, "No. 25," as her lifetime of antioxidants and other supplementeed vitamins, human quality/organic balanced food and a huge emotional investment (I just "happened" to adopt her the weekend my artist husband chose to make the effort to move himself to the hereafter...) seemed to have received favorable results. (She could/can easily pass for 6...).
In any event, commiseration is cool, but in my recent quest to aid and abet Choriza's condition via consulting with more than one of the top holistic vets in the country, not to mention my own research, I suggest you start giving your boy some (readily available) cutting edge supplements (proven results in - Europe etc. as I for one do not put all my faith in the F.D.A). Btw did you know that stem cell therapy was recently approved for dogs (Jan)? Don't know about you, but I missed the Nightline segment you can still find on youtube (for now only approved for arthritis, but a few vets are using it for heart problems).
Anyway, to get to the point, (and most vets will agree "it can't hurt"), here are a few ideas-- all readily available at Vitamin Shoppe etc. (Choriza is the most illogical eater I've ever met-- she has napped on grilled chicken and steak .for which other dogs would give their canines. Hence, I am only giving her the most tasteless items.)
1. D-Ribose -- I give her (she weighs 10lbs.) about 50mg-- v. tasteless.
2. Ubiquinol -- A new form of COQ10 that is very heart friendly and 10x more absorbable. I use 50mg.
3. Gamma E - " " " " Vit E. " " " " ". I get the 200mg capsules and give half.
4. Resveratrol - amazing heart benefits. She gets 25mg.
5. HDL Carnitine (this tastes horrible but is v. v. good) I get carnitine liquid as she wont eat her food w/this stuff in it. Maybe Hamilton has more rational taste buds.
6. A high quality multiple vit containing potassium & iron (lasix eats up a lot) I havent found a good canine multiple, so I give her 1/6 of what I take (My Favorite Multiple by Natrol w/iron)
As u said in your blog, drug tolerance is crucial. (Right now Chori is on enalipril, vetmedin and lasix).
Must end my good canine deed for the day (month? year?)
Hope I've been somewhat inspiring. (I generally try to live by the good ole golden rule)
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