Specialist Elizabeth isn't doing so well - heart complications

[piggyme234]

Elizabeth was diagnosed with an enlarged heart a couple of months ago. She has been doing really well on her medication until the other day. She has developed quite bad oedema, you can feel the build up of fluid under her chin and tummy She is now on a higher dose of all her meds and seems a bit better but I worry that it won't stay that way for long.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Oh, I’m sorry to hear that Elizabeth has been poorly, hope this medication increase will help her Don’t know much about heart problems (only in humans) but reducing excess fluid build up will make her more comfortable and her heart work better x

 

[Wiebke]

I am linking in knowledgeable members with personal experience with long term heart piggies for you.

@Jaycey @helen105281

 

[DM030819]

@piggyme234 What meds is she on? As @Bill & Ted mentions the fluid build up is she on a diuretic too?

I have heard of situations where a vet will give quite a big dose of diuretic to help clear the fluid and will then give him sub cut fluids to dehydrate them. I wonder if that would help.

 

[piggyme234]

She is on frusol (diuretic), fortekor (blood pressure) and vetmedin (strengthens heart function). She is now on 2 times the frusol and vetmedin and 1.5 times the fortekor she was on last week.

 

[DM030819]

Bless her! It can take a little while to find the right balance of meds for heart pigs. Maybe she needs them adjusting a little bit. In my experience the effects of the changes in meds took a little while before they kicked in fully so I really hope she responded better soon.

 

[piggyme234]

Yeah I am seeing how she does over the next day or so on the new doses, then we might look at upping them again if needs be. It's just worrying how she has gone from doing really well to being really visibly struggling over such a short time. I worry that her heart isn't strong enough to keep going much longer. When I went out yesterday morning I was glad she was still there after how she was on Saturday night. She wheeked at me for her tea today which is a good sign.