My dog is worse after Lasix for heart failure. Is medication to blame?

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.

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.

Syncope or fainting is common with progressive heart disease and it is possible she may also require additional medications alongside the lasix which are diuretics which reduce fluid build up on the lungs, if fainting is happening. I would recommend an emergency vet visit to assess fluid build up on the lungs and to try stabilise ger condition

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am so sorry to hear about Bizou! Unfortunately, if he is in congestive heart failure, the only treatment is the lasix pill (furosemide). Depending on how severe his condition is, he may not survive without hospitalization with oxygen and injectible lasix. Your vet may have a strong suspicion of this if Bizou has a heart murmur and many crackles in the lungs (we can hear with the stethoscope). However, even that is not enough to definitively diagnose it. I have seen a couple dogs I was sure were in heart failure and when I took the x-rays, it turned out to be pneumonia or cancer. If you can at all afford it, go for the xrays so you at least know what you are dealing with - if it's cancer instead of heart failure, that may change your approach. If it is heart failure, it will give a clue as to how serious. If you can't afford the x-rays, treat for whatever the vet thinks is most likely. If heart failure is it, the most commonly prescribed medications are furosemide, enalapril, and pimobendan (though there are others). Finally, if he is still struggling for air, his tongue/gums are any color other than bright pink, or the vet thinks it is serious enough to require oxygen, and you cannot pay for treatment, I would strongly consider euthanasia. Dying by gasping and struggling for air while drowning in your own fluids is a horrible way to go - I've seen it several times. Please feel free to reach out to me via consultation if you'd like to to have a more detailed conversation with you. Best wishes to you and Bizou.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Roxy! If Roxy is having trouble breathing she needs to see a veterinarian right away. We have to assume she is in congestive heart failure. Just increasing the medication likely will not be enough. You can give her another 1/2 of furosemide while you find an open emergency room. Oral medications are not quick enough in situations like this. She likely needs oxygen and injectable medications. I wish Roxy the best!

Hello, and thanks for your question. Harry may need an increase in his furosemide dose, or sometimes I will tell owners to give an extra dose occasionally as needed - but it depends on the dog's symptoms, kidney function, and current dose of medication (whether the furosemide can be safely increased from the current dose). Furosemide cannot simply be increased indefinitely, or it can cause kidney problems or overly dehydrate the animal. Harry's normal vet will be the only one able to answer this question, since they know his current dose, weight, and medical history. Hope this helps!

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 !