dilated cardiomyopathy in sheep dogs
Good Night sheepies![/b] |
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| we have just been informed that our 16mth old old english called Bella has this condition..... have looked on the net for some info but can find none is there anyone out there who can put me in the right direction as to where I can find some info??
thank you for your help yvonne |
yb browne wrote: we have just been informed that our 16mth old old english called Bella has this condition..... have looked on the net for some info but can find none is there anyone out there who can put me in the right direction as to where I can find some info??
thank you for your help yvonne Oh, god, I'm so sorry. You'll be looking at a lot of boxer, dobe and great dane sites, though they typically present differently than in OES (more electrical disturbances and, pardon me, dropping dead midstride - happened to a fantastic agility dobe - tragic), In OES I think you tend to see it more typically in older dogs (middle age and up). I know we're on the list of predisposed breeds though I very rarely hear of any cases. I had a bad scare with one of my bitches when I had routine cardiac testing done. We did a number of rechecks (echos) at six month intervals before they decided it was normal for her ("althetic heart", I think they referred to it, sometimes seen in greyhounds and working hunting dogs, not something they expected to see in an OES  ) Being a born sceptic and naturally paranoid, I'm not 100% convinced and still monitor, but this was several years ago and she remains asymptomatic, on no meds and with no change on echo.
Here are a couple of things I learned: 1) get her thyroid tested. The cardiologist where I took my girl told me about a study they had done right there at U-Wisconsin of dogs with DCM which included an OES. They tested, dog was hypothyroid, put on thyroid meds and no further deterioration of the heart. Of course, the dog was middle-aged, so that may be a long shot, but it cannot hurt. There is a known correlation between hypothyroidism and cardiomyopathy. Your girl's just a baby, but monitor it anyway if you have decent testing facilities in the UK, and I'm assuming you must. 2) check taurine blood levels (do a search on taurine, cockers and DCM) - the cardiologist ordered a taurine test (or whatever it's called) for my girl/ Her levels came back normal. OES are not known to have taurine deficiency induced DCM BUT cover your bases. Also - ask around and consider putting her on this supplement anyway - talk to a holistic vet or even your cardiologist. Details are foggy but I was talking to an OES breeder last year some time who told me about an OES where even though taurine levels were normal, the owner put her dog - or dogs? - on taurine and subsequent echos showed no progression or a complete reversal (though you have to wonder if the diagnosis was right to begin with or...? ) PM me and I can put you in touch with her via e-mail privately and hopefully she'll be able to put you in touch with the person who dealt with this directly, though I'm guessing with the OESCA national coming up, she's probably going to be there. This brings back so many not good memories. Hang in there. Some times it's not as bleak as it seems. 
Kristine |
| Our Min Pin Tazz was diagnosed about 3 yrs ago - at age 6. He was diagnosed by a chest xray.
He has this super huge heart filling his chest cavity. 
He has been on 2 drugs - enalapril (brand name Vasotec in humans), it is an ACE inhibitor. disal - (a version of Lasix, or the generic furosemide) a diuretic. Both seem to be working. He has had at least one heart attack (about a year ago) that we know of, but all in all is doing well. He doesn't go work in obedience class any more - it is just too much exertion. He leads a pretty sedentary life these days. He still is bouncy, but has very limited endurance. It takes a bit of work and is an adjustment. Pills every day for rest of his life. But, it has given us 3 years that we never would have had.  |
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