Enlarged heart

I've never experienced anything like this and can only imagine how frightening it must've been.  It sounds like your fast actions probably saved her life though and hopefully they have medications that can help.  My heart goes out to you while you wait though.  I know how awful it can be waiting and worrying.  I'm sure others will be along who know more about this.

I don't have any advice for you, but I will keep you and your dog in my thoughts.

Wow, I'm so sorry. I don't have experience with this either, but I'm sure someone here has. Hang in there.

Oh no! I'm so sorry!  I hope she will be fine!!  Hang in there!
I'm like the rest so far, no information for you, just lots of good luck!  I'm sure someone will come along soon with knowlege about this!

High blood pressure is pretty rare in a dog -- but they CAN take hypertension medicine really successfully.
 
An enlarged heart sounds bad, but you can cope with it.  It all is 'about' how effectively the heart can pump blood,  And getting the blood pressure down is going to change the prognosis with the heart. 
 
You will have to figure out what is causing the high blood pressure -- that's likely to be part of the cause of the other.  I'm sure they're going to order a thyroid panel -- and if you can get the vet to send it to Michigan State or directly to Dr. Jean Dodds you will get a better test done.  Jean Dodds set up MI's lab and they use her protocols.  She is THE expert on dog thyroid/endocrine problems. 
 
My other thot is kidney stuff -- often high blood pressure can be a result of kidney problems, so I would ask the vet if they were possibly connected.
 
And FYI we had a dog with massive heart problems for almost 7 years.  She came to us when she was over 10 with nearly fatal heartworm problems.  It left her heart very damaged and the lungs as well   The vet had her on Lasix and aminophyline -- and we also took her to a vet who did Traditonal Chinese Veterinary Medicine -- because that is a BIG help in treating the heart.
 
[linkhttp://www.chi-institute.com]http://www.chi-institute.com[/link] -- they have a locator and it would really help you to find a TCVM practitioner to help.  I don't mean leave your vet -- I mean use this in addition!!

I'm so glad you got her to emergency quickly, and she is now in the care of a cardiologist.  There is medications for all kinds of heart problems, I'm sure some will help her.  I will keep her in my thoughts and prayers.  

I did have a Bichon with CHF (not the same as your furbaby)  she was on heart meds and lived a long life.

I'm sorry I'm just getting back to reply.  Thanks for all your support and advice.
 
It's been a longggggg week.  Well, she was stablized in ICU for 3 days and put on procainamide heart med, enalapril and doxycycline antiboditics.  We brought her home and she rested all weekend.  We are carrying her 40 pounder weight up the full flight of stairs to the bedroom at nite.  During the day I keep her on the main level and close off the staircase.  My mother is babysitting her.  She was vomiting all the meds up initially so I spread them out over 5 times a day, giving with small meals.  At first when she stood, she just stood there spaced out.  I thought maybe she had a stoke too.  AS of yesterday, she became her old self, playing with a toy and chewing a bone, even wanting to chase our other dog!  I was SOOO relieved !
 
Bad news is there is 1 1/2 tumor on her heart, cardilogist says it is not the malignant kind tho.  Her right ventrical is enlarged.  Not knowing why, he thinks maybe lyme disease caused this.  My regular vet says no.  She has tested positive for lyme for 5 years.
 
I am heartened  to read some of your dogs lived for years with this type of thing.  The Chinese acupuncture is good to know.  My firend heard CoQ10 is good for hte heart.
 
She is on all raw food knowing that prevents cancer. This dog is my life. I have not cried this hard, really much harder,  since January when my cat went to the bridge.

Oh, yes, they did a blood workup and it all came back fine.  The cardiolgoist said maybe some systemic virus caused it, hence the lyme theory. 
 
Her heart rate was 370 per min, the highest it can go .  Thank God we were home and awake when it happened.  She could have died during the day  when we were at work. 
 
The biggest sign was that she slept for 23 hours a few days before and she had been slowing down and overheating even in the winter. 

I'm glad she is home and doing okay, sounds like you have everything under control.  I've never done acupuncture but have heard lots of good things about it.   I will continue to keep her in my thoughts and prayers. 

Callie, I emailed you for the cancer diet.  I also went to Monica Segals site where she does mention that CoQ10  and fish oil, Vit E  is good for the heart. 
 
Maybe I helped prolong Hollys life by giving fish oil, E, C daily.  I'm going to add the CoQ10 now 
 
 
 

CO Q 10 helps get oxygen TO the cells.  If you can affoird ut guve four times her weight in CO Q 10 like 3 times a day.  IT WILL help.  It's great stuff -- and ANY you can give will help.  Even 1 mg per pound will help get oxygen where it needs to go.

Just a suggestion...   Before you purchase the supplements, I would ask your cardiologist first to make sure they can be given with the present heart medications.  

The listed ones -- fish oil (omega 3s), Vit E, and Co Q 10 are all safe wtih any heartmeds. 
 
Some regular doctors/vets are encouraging Co Q 10, other doctors are threatened because it's OTC -- but it is benign and helpful. 
 
Pat, I agree you have to use caution -- because things like herbals (which ARE medicine and shouldn't be used without serious consideration and due caution) and some supplements can be dangerous.  But this short list happens to be a good list.

I was having major quilt trip pondering did I cause this to happen. I was giving her an herbal anti-yeast and fungal  twice a day for 3 weeks beforehand and a lot of Vitamin C to fight the horrid yeast in her ear.  I mentioned this to the ER doctor and he said that no supplements caused this,,,sigh of relief... 
 
I also wonder because I heard that yeast can kill you.  It can go into your brain and organs.  Holly has fought yeast for 9 long years.  Going to raw actually made it worse to the point where gobs of wax are coming out of her ear.    The dogfood store I go to recommended that I go back to fish/oatmeal kibble. SO I did for 3 days before this happened.  At the ER, the vet says , "Gosh, this dogs stomach is full"   I said that it wasn't much food, just 1/2 cup of kibble and 1/2 of green beans.  She threw it all up.   Right then and there I said no more kibble, only raw from now on...
 
Monica Segals site says Vit C can sometimes bring on free radicals instead of kill them.  So I decided no more Ester C.