Heart Failure Prognosis

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fluke

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
135
Location
huntsville, al
Well, it isn't confirmed yet, but I'm expecting to find out tomorrow that my ~12 year old boy may be in congestive heart failure. I had xrays taken about three weeks ago mainly to look at his teeth as he suffers from malocclusion that requires trims and such about every 6 weeks. In the xray though his lungs were cloudy. After over 2 weeks of antibiotics (Baytril and Doxycycline), his lungs looked the same if not worse. I have an echo scheduled tomorrow. I know there are medications for heart failure, but I am curious if anyone here has experience with this. If so, how long has your chin been on these meds ? I'm just trying to get an idea of the possibilities. Can a chin be on heart meds successfully for years?

Any thoughts are appreciated?
 
Well.......never mind. Heart failure would have been better news than I got today. Either a tumor or fluid that is thick is in one of his lungs. He's been on antibiotics for three weeks. No change. Diuretics didn't help at all so also points to not his heart.....I think we have a few weeks maybe. His teeth are so bad that we have to do monthly trimmings, but he can't be sedated now. He probably wouldn't wake up. Vet mentioned university of Georgia for their imaging capability. But even if we know what's wrong, doesn't mean we can do anything.

If anyone has any ideas or revelations...please let me know. I'm just keeping him comfortable now. I don't want to put him thru **** to try to fix him...and at this point I'm not even sure that'd he'd get thru it Anyway.
 
No suggestions. Sounds like keeping him comfortable as long as you can is your only option other than euthanasia now vs later. Thoughts and prayers of support as you go through this difficult time. It sounds like you have done everything possible to help him.
 
Any last ditch ideas? He seems worse today. Anyone ever try steroids in chinchillas? Anything stronger than baytril and doxycycline?
 
whats frustrating is he was never sneezing, never had a runny nose. he "cough"..or rather what I know think might be a cough sort of thing..on occasion, but at the time I thought it was tooth related. I wouldn't hear it again until time to go back for tooth trimmings. I asked for xrays about 3 weeks ago because I wanted to just check on the roots of his teeth. and that's when the vet saw his lungs were cloudy. he had been breathing a little fast, but that's something he also did before dental visits and he was back to normal afterwards.
 
With his dental issues and then the heart failure/pneumonia it pains me to say but it sounds like it may be time to consider his quality of life vs the quantity of life. No one can judge that but you. You are the one responsible and know him best. What I like to do is write 3 of their favorite things to do down and put it on or near their cage. When they can no longer do those things it is time for me to give them my final gift of love with releasing them from pain and suffering. Hugs.
 
mercynursie: you're right. I don't want him to suffer. I am going to try one last treatment. Should see improvement in a few days if there will be any. If not, I think it'll be time...

Thanks for the kind words.
 
I knew it was coming, but Buckie died Tuesday night in my arms. I was feeding him, and he just went limp.

I'd just typed up a long post, but it logged me out and so the post got lost. The gist of it was...be good chinnie parents. They deserve it. Pay attention to everything. They'll tell you when something is wrong if you pay attention. Only problem is...sometimes there's more than one thing wrong. Buckie had dental problems for many years. The past few we've been going to the vet monthly for dental trimming and sometimes dental extractions. The signs of something wrong seemed to go away after a visit. Until August. I'm not sure if cancer was there already. I don't know if one bad vet visit he aspirated a little blood while under anesthesia and that started pneumonia. I have no idea. But I think I did everything I could. It was this or eventual euthanasia due to root elongation.

Also...please breed chins responsibly. He was a pet store chin but just think about heredity over just cute fuzzy things. It's not right to create a baby knowing it's in store for a life of struggle.

R.I.P. Mr. Fuzzbucket ("Buckie")
Life will never be the same
 
Rest sweetly dear little one. Hugs and prayer of support and healing heart for your family.
 
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