Hi -- I've had more than one dog with heart problems/issues. Socks' problems were MASSIVE and she still lived a happy, very awesome quality of life WAY beyond what anyone expected. When she came to us she was 10 and massively heartworm positive -- even after we treated it (and it was SO bad she couldn't be treated normally -- so I had to do the long, slow method.). But even after treatment her heart was *massively* enlarged -- she was about Maze's size but her heart was bigger than a big man's two fists together.
We did hawthorn (and that's the first thing to try -- that and the Co-Q-10). We also did feurosemide and other things as necessary.
When we took her they essentially asked me to give her a corner in my kitchen -- she had "a month at most".
She lived SIX AND A HALF YEARS. She developed into an awesome pet therapy dog. She went thru "basic obedience" again at the age of 15 1/2 and got her CGC and because a completely certified therapy dog.
She played. She loved her ball. We just learned not to play *too hard*. Yep, I stopped her before she wanted to ... but she trusted my judgment. She learned there were other joys and pleasures in life!! She truly did.
Socks would have told you that you don't judge life by how much of what you've always liked to do you *can* do. Nope -- you learn to value life by this moment -- you learn new things and you learn to GROW.
this was a horribly abused dog -- one who was so terrified of the bathroom when she came to us that she would dissolve in a shuddering puddle if she had to set foot in there.
She overcame that and MANY other things. She wasn't by nature an overcomer -- when she came to us she was beaten down and ready to die. She had more joy in her last 6 1/2 years than I think she did in the first 10. She learned to love what she COULD do. And she discovered a depth that was incredible.
Ohhh, and I nearly forgot (and Ms. Socks would be SOO disgusted with me if I forgot this!!) -- she did NOT die of anything heart related. Not at all. She had cancer (and lived several years with it just on a cancer diet). Ultimately it became painful for her and when she was "done" she told me so and we helped her over The Bridge.
Billy's heart was damaged by the IMHA drugs. Not hugely -- but the week after he came off the drugs he suddenly had a grade 4+ murmur. My vet told me just today and he really didn't think Billy could get thru it. But he obviously has.
He has -- we've supplemented and given him hawthorne and Co-Q-10 and at this point he doesn't even need pharmaceuticals.
Don't rush into an ultrasound (a/k/a an echocardiogram) -- it's a nice test to have but NOT always necessary at all. Billy gets an EKG done at my regular vet's about every 6-9 months and x-rays periodically to check to see if any part of the heart has enlarged. further.
Now .. if anything ever comes up as a real problem or he starts showing bigger symptoms or "changed" ones THEN we'll worry about an echo.
I do supplement Billy with both taurine and L-Carnitine. Heavier on the taurine than is normal -- but Billy seems to do better with the heavier supplementation.
His murmur is still at a grade 3 -- but not worsening.
Now -- I've always given hawthorne in caps -- reading above that she's using it without the capsules THAT IS GOOD NEWS. Leaves and Roots (and they aren't the only ones) sell it in bulk and it's WAY cheaper.
Don't forget -- in the past Maze has been a YOUNG dog. She's also been trying to keep up with a puppy. She's not super young. She's "mature" ... so don't make her feel she *has* to keep up with a puppy.
don't focus on what she can't do. Instead -- give her a new focus. Why not try something like elementary tracking with her. Let her do something *different* -- just show her new things. The world does not *have* to revolve around running -- just like humans, they can learn new interests. Mostly they just don't want to be bored.
If you show her new things in life and **YOU** are a part of them, she'll be fine with it.
Socks never started out to be a therapy dog. In fact, at first she wasn't sure she enjoyed it ... she was actually *shy* for a dog. Not fearful but ... hated to be the center of attention. (HATED it) But ... suddenly she found how good it feels to have someone not just pet you but **need** you. And she got really hooked on it.
Socks totally enjoyed Give Kids the World ... But her biggest love -- her **passion** was for elderly people.
Because of the feurosemide Socks "leaked" so she wore bitches britches with continence pads in them. She wore a t-shirt ALL the time because it helped reduce the cough.
The folks at the nursing home thot she was their hero. "Hey -- that dog wears diapers just like WE do!!"
Then this is SIX YEARS later -- I want you to see this shot so you can see -- yep, a dog in a t-shirt and "jeans" -- but she doesn't exactly look unhappy?? She LOVED this woman ..
This last one -- I just want you to see the look of supreme contentment on her face -- qualify of life?/ You betcha!! Socks came to this very late in life but I'm pretty sure if you ask her when you get to Rainbow Bridge she'd tell you this was the BEST Earth had to offer!!
Same day -- just her "turn" to get petted:
Life hands us crud sometimes ... but don't let it throw you. Don't for a minute think that Maze without her usual "running" is going to be "less". It's just as life IS. You learn to deal ... you learn to look **deeper**. You find what unique things THIS dog is good at ... even if it's not readily apparent at first.
The old saying "If life hands you lemons ... make lemonade" -- I live by it.
but then ... there's also .... lemon pie ... lemon chicken ... lemon struesle ... lemon italian ice ....
(I gotta stop now before drool shorts out my keyboard!)