I post this with tears in my eyes, but our 4yo boy doberman is in emergency.
He has never had any health issues, has had good quality organic diet all his life. About 2.5 weeks ago, he started coughing. We took him to the vet, who did check his heart (stethoscope, not EKG), and the vet did not comment on his heart rate. He was prescribed doxycycline, and we also did a PCR test on him. The PCR test came back negative for everything, the doxycycline course over 10 days almost eliminated his cough. Our other dog (lab) never caught the cough, both are vaccinated, but still, the fact that it never transferred, makes me suspect it wasn't bacterial or viral.
Then, 2 days after the doxycycline course ended, he developed a cough again at night, which became worse very quickly next day. We took the first vet appt which was 530pm next day. Again, so far, we have noticed ZERO health issues with him (although we did not do a yearly EKG test, I didn't know about all this).
Next morning, he was coughing, but ate slowly but he ate.
Through the day his breathing became more labored, and he became more lethargic. Would keep coming to me for pets, didn't want to sit or lie down, just stand put his head on my chest and wanted to be petted. He didn't want to eat in the evening either, first time ever he has refused food. During his first cough bought (2.5 weeks ago), he was not lethargic, never turned down food, cough was WORSE, yet he was in better spirits.
530PM at the vet - doc checked his EKG and heart rate. His EKG showed issues "ventricular tachycardia", and his heart rate was going between 250-350. We immediately drove him to emergency.
630pm emergency, they immediately put him on IVs and oxygen.
After emergency,
- Immediately, they put him on IV, 3 doses later the heart rate did not come down (they administered this within 30 mins, first dose literally minutes after we parked). Then they had to give some other drug (I don't know what) and his heart rate came down to 200ish, but not below 200.
- At the 12 hour mark, his heart rate was 180-200, and he was on oxygen. The vets then gave him furosemide to clear his lungs, and decided to gradually wean him off oxygen. He is eating now.
- At the 24 hour mark, his heart rate was more like 200, and they decided to not wean him off oxygen yet.
I know the prognosis is not good.
But we are hoping to bring him back home, in an environment he is familiar with, with our other dog (lab), and treat him infinite love for his last few days with us.
We want him to pass away in our lap at home, and not on a cold hospital table. We obviously don't want him to suffer.
My questions,
- Those of you who have gone through this heart wrenching ordeal with your pup with congestive heart failure, DCM, how was your recovery experience while the dog was in emergency. Were there ups and downs, how long before your doberman came back to somewhat normal so he/she could go home?
- The vets we are dealing with are pretty good and professional. But any additional questions we can ask them?
- When your dog did come home, what steps did you take besides medication to prolong their healthy non-suffering life? My dobe is especially high wired to anyone ringing the doorbell (will disconnect) or fox or squirrels in the yard (not sure how to block all that out).
I'll end with this. DCM is awful. Doberman's are not like your average dog, their intelligence and ability to bond with the owner is unlike any other breed. It is a sad cruel joke that such a wonderful dog is afflicted by such an awful problem. We thought we got our dog from the best breeder in the US, we have all the paperwork, bloodlines tracing back to generations, yet here we are at 4 years (he turned 4, 1 month ago). I love dogs very much, and the doberman has both spoilt me (hard to like any breed as much anymore), yet losing your baby at 4 so suddenly, is a gut wrenching experience.
I am so sad and heart broken. But any constructive feedback to my questions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you all.
He has never had any health issues, has had good quality organic diet all his life. About 2.5 weeks ago, he started coughing. We took him to the vet, who did check his heart (stethoscope, not EKG), and the vet did not comment on his heart rate. He was prescribed doxycycline, and we also did a PCR test on him. The PCR test came back negative for everything, the doxycycline course over 10 days almost eliminated his cough. Our other dog (lab) never caught the cough, both are vaccinated, but still, the fact that it never transferred, makes me suspect it wasn't bacterial or viral.
Then, 2 days after the doxycycline course ended, he developed a cough again at night, which became worse very quickly next day. We took the first vet appt which was 530pm next day. Again, so far, we have noticed ZERO health issues with him (although we did not do a yearly EKG test, I didn't know about all this).
Next morning, he was coughing, but ate slowly but he ate.
Through the day his breathing became more labored, and he became more lethargic. Would keep coming to me for pets, didn't want to sit or lie down, just stand put his head on my chest and wanted to be petted. He didn't want to eat in the evening either, first time ever he has refused food. During his first cough bought (2.5 weeks ago), he was not lethargic, never turned down food, cough was WORSE, yet he was in better spirits.
530PM at the vet - doc checked his EKG and heart rate. His EKG showed issues "ventricular tachycardia", and his heart rate was going between 250-350. We immediately drove him to emergency.
630pm emergency, they immediately put him on IVs and oxygen.
After emergency,
- Immediately, they put him on IV, 3 doses later the heart rate did not come down (they administered this within 30 mins, first dose literally minutes after we parked). Then they had to give some other drug (I don't know what) and his heart rate came down to 200ish, but not below 200.
- At the 12 hour mark, his heart rate was 180-200, and he was on oxygen. The vets then gave him furosemide to clear his lungs, and decided to gradually wean him off oxygen. He is eating now.
- At the 24 hour mark, his heart rate was more like 200, and they decided to not wean him off oxygen yet.
I know the prognosis is not good.
But we are hoping to bring him back home, in an environment he is familiar with, with our other dog (lab), and treat him infinite love for his last few days with us.
We want him to pass away in our lap at home, and not on a cold hospital table. We obviously don't want him to suffer.
My questions,
- Those of you who have gone through this heart wrenching ordeal with your pup with congestive heart failure, DCM, how was your recovery experience while the dog was in emergency. Were there ups and downs, how long before your doberman came back to somewhat normal so he/she could go home?
- The vets we are dealing with are pretty good and professional. But any additional questions we can ask them?
- When your dog did come home, what steps did you take besides medication to prolong their healthy non-suffering life? My dobe is especially high wired to anyone ringing the doorbell (will disconnect) or fox or squirrels in the yard (not sure how to block all that out).
I'll end with this. DCM is awful. Doberman's are not like your average dog, their intelligence and ability to bond with the owner is unlike any other breed. It is a sad cruel joke that such a wonderful dog is afflicted by such an awful problem. We thought we got our dog from the best breeder in the US, we have all the paperwork, bloodlines tracing back to generations, yet here we are at 4 years (he turned 4, 1 month ago). I love dogs very much, and the doberman has both spoilt me (hard to like any breed as much anymore), yet losing your baby at 4 so suddenly, is a gut wrenching experience.
I am so sad and heart broken. But any constructive feedback to my questions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you all.
having lost my last dobie to it last year I know how you must be feeling, many members here have been through this and it doesn't always show or have the same effects everyone has had to deal with the different ways it developed, with mine it came on suddenly and he was given under three months we ended up having him with us for just over a year, he didn't start coughing until right near the end and unfortunately that was the final straw his heart couldn't cope with that stress anymore, when he was first diagnosed he was on vetmedin and cardalis medication and these are the standard medication in the UK, I had so much help from people on this forum and one thing we did was change his diet and add lots vitamins and minerals to help with the side effects and off the medications, @Srykerdobe gave us lists off these and was extremely helpful with advice to help, will keep you in our thoughts and prayers 
you will be able get him home with you.
.
