A High Commitment Team Dedicated to Caring for Your Pet
CASE #2
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Meshach
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Meshach is an 11-year-old spayed female miniature schnauzer. With
few exceptions, she leads a happy healthy life. In February, she came
to Lexington Blvd. Animal Hospital for her yearly exam. During a careful
examination, her veterinarian recognized a heart murmur. This was
a shock to her owner, because Meshach exhibited none of the typical
signs of a heart murmur (exercise intolerance and persistent cough).
To further examine her heart problem, an echocardiogram was performed.
This is essentially an ultrasound of the heart, providing an evaluation
of heart function. The test confirmed that Meshach has a heart condition
leading to dysfunction of her mitral heart valve. 'Mitral regurgitation' is a common cause of heart disease in small breed dogs. In many cases, it is a disease that progresses slowly over time and can be recognized on physical exam. Early diagnosis is key to initiate proper medical therapy. Meshach began taking enalapril (an ACE-inhibitor to reduce the workload of the heart) and lasix (a diuretic to remove excess fluid from the lungs). In addition, a dietary change was instituted to reduce the sodium level in her diet. Since the initial diagnosis, Meshach has had occasional fainting spells due to her illness, requiring an overnight stay in an oxygen cage and adjustment of her medications. Despite these complications, her life has been lengthened due to quality medical care. While not all dogs with murmurs have disease as severe as Meshach, regular physical examinations are critical in all pets so that we can determine if a further workup is warranted. |
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2627 Cordes Drive Sugar Land, Texas 77479 24-Hour Emergency Care for Our Clients Phone:(281) 980-3737 Fax: (281) 265-5584 Email:info@lexingtonpethospital.com |
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