Dog with CHF fainted after Lasix. Should I give more or call vet?

Oh no! This sounds very serious and the Lasix alone probably isn't enough to control her symptoms. If she is this sick you should definitely take Roxy back in to the vet to perhaps up her dose of Lasix (there is often a wide range that you can give pets until symptoms resolve) or give her actual heart medication. If the heart is not addressed directly (with medications), then no matter how much Lasix you give, the lungs will continue to fill with fluid due to the direct relationship that is shared between the heart and lungs. This website link discusses the use of both Lasix and heart medications (Enalapril) together in pets with signs of congestive heart failure, which is likely Roxy's condition. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=537

Yes Lasix can help dogs with CHF but the dosage can only be determined by the prescribing vet. Legally we cannot prescribe it, and its usage has to be monitored by a vet as it can have some serious side effects like dehydration, weakness, collapse, balance problems, electrolyte imbalance, lack of urine production, and a racing heart beat. There are other medications that can be used to control the symptoms of CHF, they won't cure it, but they will make her more comfortable. I'd talk to Lucy's vet about Lasix and other medication. I hope this helps.

First off, I'm so very sorry you lost Lucky so suddenly! How horrible for you, and please accept my condolences for your loss. Yes, it certainly is possible that she was suffering from late stage CHF causing the symptoms you saw when you came home. CHF causes syncope, which is when a dog suddenly passes out due to lack to blood to the brain. Unfortunately without seeing her in person, I can't say for certain, but it is possible. I hope you are doing ok after the loss of your dog, and I hope this helps you!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Gelly is breathing heavier today - it is possible she is currently in congestive heart failure, meaning she has fluid building up in her lungs. If she is currently receiving Lasix (Furosemide), you can probably give her another dose of that and see if this helps. If she is still breathing rapidly and with abdominal effort, I recommend having her evaluated by a veterinarian right away. If she is unable to get the fluid off of her lungs, she will be unable to oxygenate her blood and can go into respiratory arrest and die. I hope this is helpful!

The elevated respiration and fainting may indicate that the meds are not controlling the heart failure well at this time. The movement you are seeing with the heartbeat may be related to the murmur getting more intense, or possibly due to an arrhythmia. Without evaluating the medical history and examining Heidi it's difficult to tell. I recommend having her evaluated by your vet sometime soon. Your vet should be able to help explain what's going on and may want to prescribe additional treatment. Heart failure is often a progressive disease, so it's expected that medications will change as the disease progresses. If Heidi is otherwise seeming happy, then I don't think you are being selfish by continuing treatment. I think it's worth consulting with your vet and seeing if anymore can be done to keep her from breathing hard and fainting. I hope that helps and Heidi gets better soon.

Hi there, you could try increasing it to 30 mg twice a day. In general a standard dose is 2mg/kg twice a day. If frusemide should not work , a new diuretic could be added such as spironolactone. I would recommend to discuss this with your vet. Hope this helps !

Yes, you can give another dose of the salix to try to help. If this does not show any improvement I would encourage you to find any vet that can you in as you may need injectable medication and oxygen therapy to help