My dog has a heart murmur and coughs. Cardalis isn't helping. What can I do?

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/

Unfortunately, there are no OTC medications you can give your dog for her cough. The cough will be related to her heart disease, and is likely caused by a build up of fluid in her lungs. There are medications you can get from your vet that can help with that help with called diuretics. An example of a diuretic would be furosimide. I would speak to your vet today about possibly putting her on a diuretic to help with her cough.

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.

I'm so sorry Duke is having heart and lung problems! I am very concerned that he has not eaten for several days and has no energy. He may potentially have something else going on besides his previously diagnosed heart and lung issues. I would recommend you take him back in to your vet as soon as possible to be evaluated. Often with heart disease, dogs need a combination of medication, including furosemide and pimobendan (the cardisure), and potentially a blood pressure medication. If he is not eating he may need more aggressive treatment and potentially injectable medication. He also may need another x-ray to see how his lungs look. He may need blood work to make sure his kidneys are okay as well as check his electrolytes. Again, I'm so sorry Duke doesn't feel well. Heart disease can be difficult to manage and is progressive, so over time medications sometimes have to be adjusted and/or dosages changed. I hope he starts feeling better soon. Your vet will help you determine what is the next best step for him! Good luck!

Hello there! I am sorry to hear about Toby's diagnosis. This is a common condition in a lot of dogs, especially smaller breeds. Without knowing all of the specifics of the testing done on Toby it sounds like you are on the right track since his lungs are clear. Some dogs may need additional medications though. If it hasn't been done already you could request an Echocardiogram ( an ultrasound of his heart) to ensure nothing else is needed. With all that being said, lots of dogs will still cough even if their heart disease is being managed perfectly and this is due to the actual enlargement of the heart (we can't fix that). The enlarged heart will often press up on the bronchus (part of the airways) and this will cause coughing too. If Toby seems to cough a lot and if it interferes with his resting/sleeping a cough suppressant could also be prescribed. It is so hard to predict how long a pet can live with a heart condition as there are so many factors that determine this. I will say that grade 3-4 is middle of the road in severity. So he may be able to live for many years as long as his symptoms are well controlled on his meds. Monitor his cough and if it seems to be getting worse then make sure to see your vet. Another thing you can monitor at home is sleeping respiratory rate (count how many times he breathes in a minute while sleeping). It should be less than 25-30. It's very helpful to check his regularly and keep a log. If Toby's rate is typically 20 and it is slowly creeping up over a few days then this could be a sign of relapse of the fluid in his lungs and would be a sign to get him in to his vet ASAP before it causes his distress. I hope you find this information helpful. I wish you and Toby all the best!

I certainly agree with your veterinarian that the symptoms you are mentioning do sound consistent with heart failure. If your veterinarian has not yet taken an x-ray of her chest, that would be the next thing I would recommend doing. It will confirm if there is fluid in her lungs. There are a number of medications that can be used for heart failure. A diuretic is only one of them and diuretic doses do have to be adjusted to each patient. I am attaching a handout below with more information on heart failure and medications for you. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1968 Another option would be to have a consultation with a cardiologist who can do an ultrasound of Roxie's heart (an echocardiogram) and will be able to help decide on the best medications for her based on that information. You can find a cardiologist near you here. http://find.vetspecialists.com Good luck! I hope that was helfpul. Thanks for using PetCoach.

I agree that Duke heart looks enlarged and it is pushing up on his trachea. I cannot diagnose his condition without doing an exam but with just looking at the X-rays, I would say he definitely has a heart condition. I have heard coughs from heart problems sound very similar to upper respiratory infections. Your vet will be able to put him in some heart medicine to help him. Heart medicine will slow down the progression of heart disease and help him feel better. I hope this helps. I'm sorry for the news!