Why did my dog's CHF cough improve after stopping enalapril/vetmedin?

Poor Tiny! Based on the signs you are describing (panting, coughing, and acting "off" recently), I would definitely be concerned that his heart disease may be getting worse, which may require changes in his medication doses. By law, the experts at Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach are not allowed to give any recommendations regarding dosages for any medication, since this requires a physical exam and a VCPR (veterinarian-client-patient relationship). I would suggest talking to the vet who is currently treating Tiny's CHF and who originally prescribed the medications to see what he/she would recommend - it would be best to do this today, or take Tiny back to the vet for an exam this afternoon, since worsening CHF can be life-threatening without prompt treatment.

Poor guy. The coughing is mainly due to fluid bulid up in the lungs. If the coughing has not improved then ask you vet if adjustments can be made to his current medications, in particulra the Libeo (Furosemide), which is designed to pull fluid off the lungs, reducing the cough. He is on all the medications currently recommended for heart failure dogs, so the best thing to do is increase his medications and perhaps get him on a cardiac prescription diet (i.e. Hill's Science Diet H/D). Also understand that heart medication is not curing the disease, it is merely managing it to buy your pet more time. Unfortuantely the medication may reach a point where it is no longer effective when the disease has progressed too far. I do hope that we have not reached that point yet, and perhaps can still make adjustments in Kenzo's medications to help manage his heart disease for a while longer. Here is more information on heart disease --> https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=8501760 Best of luck moving forward with Kenzo and managing his heart disease. Take care.

First, it may take longer than just 5 days of medicine to improve. I would give the medicine a little longer to work. Second, the cough and wheezing may never go away completely. If the heart is enlarged, it could be pushing on the trachea which could be part of the reason for the cough. Also, a collapsing trachea will get worse the more excitable she becomes. If she isn't improving, I would have your vet reassess her 10-14 days after the medicine has been started. If she is getting worse, I would have your vet recheck her immediately. Your vet may want to take x-rays to see if there is any improvement in the lungs to see if the meds are helping some. They may decide to adjust the meds or add in something to help keep her calm and help with the collapsed trachea. Again, you cannot cure the enlarged heart. You also cannot cure the collapse trachea without surgery which doesn't have a great success rate. Keep a close eye on her. I hope this helps!

Hello and thank you for using Pet Coach! Based on the radiograph you attached, the vertebral heart score (VHS) is on the larger measurement and overall the heart does have increased contact with the sternum. There does not appear to be evidence of heart failure, but I am limited with one x-ray view and no ability to adjust the contrast. I don't know what medication your veterinarian started Bono on but in this case, I would recommend starting omega 3 fish oil, Pimobendan (prescription medication that helps delay on the onset of heart failure and helps the heart pump more efficiently). I would also look into heart supplements such as Standard Process Whole Body Support and Cardiac support (if available in your country). Here is an article from my hospital on heart disease and what to look out for. Mitral valve disease is one of the most common heart conditions we see in dogs. I hope this helps and provides you with more information. If you have any concerns, I would reach out to the veterinarian who has been seeing Bono. https://www.neighborhoodvetclinic.com/degenerative-valve-disease-myxomatous-mitral-valve-disease/

Hello His cough previously could've been due to something else and now it's due to his heart disease. Unfortunately without x-rays done at the time of his previous coughing episodes we won't know for sure. However it is very unusual for dogs to go a long period of time in congestive heart failure without treatment and do well. So it's doubtful his heart failure was causing his coughing before now.

It sounds as though Dixie is going through a lot at the moment! Yes, Dixie should absolutely continue taking the enalapril and furosemide, unless otherwise directed by the prescribing vet. The hydrocodone/homatropine medication is a cough suppressant, but may make her a bit groggy. The heart valvular insufficiency can progress to congestive heart failure, which can cause a cough to develop as a result of the fluid accumulation in and around the lungs. If her cough continues or worsens, Dixie may need to go back to her vet for another exam and chest x-rays, and may need additional medications to manage her heart disease. I hope that all goes well for her!

Hello there! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to post your questions regarding Maxx. It looks like he is on quite the combination of medications to try and suppress the coughing. I personally do not find that the cough tabs help much. I have had great success using hydrocodone or butorphanol tablets. The albuterol is good for a bronchodilator. You might consider talking to your veterinarian about using a inhaler called flovent. Fluticasone might be a better option to use. I would talk to your veterinarian about these other options and see if this would work best for Maxx. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available to talk with via text or phone using the consultation service