love you brit...breathe slow, soft and easy.
Carol · Aug. 8, 2013
rough night for Britney. because of her difficulty in breathing, it took her a long time to lay down and sleep. it was easier to sit up and breathe. humans have the exact same problem with not controlled cardiac disease. some haven't slept in their beds in years, they sleep in their living room recliner chairs, being more upright makes it easier to breathe. one of the very first cardiac crippled dogs I had years and years ago, just wouldn't ever lay down. he paced constantly, in the house, in the yard, all he ever did was just walk and walk and walk. I can't remember his name but I can still see him, this utterly exhausted black and hairy big dog slowly walking laps around my back yard over and over again. I remember that he was a very sweet dog, and I ]remember that I only had him for a very short time. but I don't remember his name or where he came from or how he ended up at my house. we tried the meds to help him feel better but his cardiac damage was too great. watching him while waiting to see if the meds would work, was heartbreaking. in the end he finally laid down when we helped him to pass away.
heart disease is sneaky. the body shifts gears into compensating and can hide the initial symptoms. brit has been into the vets several times in the past couple of years. bad eyes and her cushings has necessitated trips to the clinic. on Monday night she was under my feet, barking in her usual dinner time frenzy, I didn't have a clue her heart was giving out. anyway, I am a bit worried about her until I see those meds start to kick in. they need to minimize her symptoms because she doesn't feel well as she is.
she is still sleeping this morning and that is good because she does need her rest. but her breathing is still too rapid so the meds she had in the clinic and the ones I gave her last night have not given her enough relief yet. we will see how she does over the next couple of days, hope floats she is back to frenzied hungry Britney who hasn't a clue her old heart is wearing out.
Max's vet says thank you too. without you she wouldn't have known about this treatment for him. in the past this practice has had to euth cats because of this problem. so now in addition to saving your saints you will save a bunch of cats in Chattanooga, tn! now she wants to know what you are using up there to dissolve struvite! she's very up for trying new (for here) things and they only have a food that works on struvite, so if there's a med that would be great!