Heart Murmur Info Anyone?

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BizyLizy

Post   » Sun Apr 21, 2002 12:16 pm


I have a seven-week-old female who seemed to breath funny and felt hot. I took her to an exotics vet on Wednesday and her temp was 103.6. They gave her fluids with vitamin B & C added and Orbax 5.7 mg (1/2 tablet per day) and Probiocin paste (1/2 notch twice a day) to take home. Yesterday I took her back for a recheck and her temp was normal: 102. The vet (a diferent one) said that the murmur was there (the other vet hadn´t told me that he´d heard one). She prescribed the Orbax for an additional four days (14 days total) and suggested that if the murmur doesn´t go away, that she may need an x-ray and blood work. I have another appointment scheduled for this coming Wednesday and will have the x-rays done if need be. Any experience that anyone can share? (I have limited funds for a huge workup.) Thanks.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Apr 21, 2002 1:01 pm


Hopefully Josephine or Pinta will check in with some advice for you. If you do a search in the medical forum under lasix, you may turn up some of their experiences with heart problems.

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BizyLizy

Post   » Sun Apr 21, 2002 3:42 pm


Thanks ... I did a quick search earlier and will devote more time tonight to a more in-depth search.

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Zoe

Post   » Sun Apr 21, 2002 4:52 pm


I would love to hear more about heart murmurs too. Zoe is the 7 1/2 yr old piggy I have with a heart murmur, enlarged heart, asthma like symptoms sometimes and arthritis in the back end. She is doing really well on Enacard for her heart... among other drugs not directly related to her heart.

pinta

Post   » Sun Apr 21, 2002 5:58 pm


Seansfamily´s Sean was diagnosed at 2 months old with congestive heart failure. I believe he was put on Lasix immediately. Hopefully she´ll check in with full details.

I have 2 pigs with heart sounds that were not normal (murmurs?) who were put on Fortekor (Enacard),a blood pressure med, and are doing fine. So far they don´t require lasix.

Another pig is on Fortekor and Lasix. She showed definite signs of heart failure whereas the other two come from a family with a genetic history of heart disease. They were showing no symptoms when they went on Fortekor and our vet is hoping that it will prove to be preventative.

I might not have mentioned it before, but weight loss is another indication of possible heart problems when combined with URI symptoms. Essentially because it takes so much effort to breathe the pig must make a choice - breathe or eat. They can´t eat enough to maintain and breathe at the same time.

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BizyLizy

Post   » Sun Apr 21, 2002 6:10 pm


Fortunately, she is eating well and was well hydrated at the visit on Saturday. (She was given fluids on Wed.) She had none of the usual symptoms that indicated respiratory problems ... by usual I mean discharge from the eyes or nasal passages or any sneezaing. Nor were there any audible sounds from her chest that I could hear. She just seemed to breathe strangely ... a bit labored ... and seemed a bit warm so I took her to the vet . The vets are ones that I haven´t gone to before but I was pleased with both of them. I do work in a vet clinic but they only see dogs (guide dogs/puppies, etc.) so taking them to work is not an option.

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Seansfamily

Post   » Wed Apr 24, 2002 10:02 pm


BizyLizy, I´m so sorry to have missed this thread when it first came out. I cannot always read the medical threads because they often take me back to when Sean became so ill that I had to make "the decision". I´m always willing to provide what information that I can though.

How is your little girl doing now?

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BizyLizy

Post   » Wed Apr 24, 2002 11:38 pm


We just got back from the vet´s and today they could not hear a murmur (so no x-ray was taken). However, her temperature is back up again; this time it´s 104 ... maybe from my trying to get her in her huge cage and with the other three guinea pigs interferring with my trying to get at her? (Large cages are nice but they do have their drawbacks: it´s the new Garden Retreat cage on www.cavycages.com.) She apparently had lost weight Sat. ... she weighed .51, down from the .61 on Wed. Tonight she is at .57. I´m to continue the Orbax and the Probicin paste and keep an eye on her and report back the first past of next week. Her sister (whom I don´t have) is a runt: very cute but very small. She appears to be healthy as do her mother and the other adult female who were housed with her. (The mother was pregnant when the family got her.) BTW, thanks to all who have responded!
Last edited by BizyLizy on Wed Apr 24, 2002 11:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Bordumb

Post   » Thu Apr 25, 2002 2:32 pm


Seansfamily, I was also trying to get a hold of you on this forum about 2 weeks or so ago, but you didn´t reply, I understand thuogh.
My baby (5 months old) was diagnosed with CHF, and I just had a few questions and wanted someone to talk to about it.
Possibly we can exchange emails? If this is to hard for you I understand. Get back to me either way,
Thanks,
Rebecca
ps. My email address is tool_80@hotmail.com
Either reply there or here if you wouldn´t mind.

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