Cookie Week Three

So the little Shih Tzu that could is still kicking. It seems that the medication that we started her on, along with my obsessing, regular ultrasounds to evaluate her heart (by more than one veterinarian) and a cardiology consult have saved the day.

OK, maybe she is just stable and all the fussing isn't really doing anything other than make me feel better. She did have a follow up ultrasound with the Doc that helped me with the initial diagnosis. Dr. Leleonnec was kind enough to let me rush my beast down to his house on a Friday evening so that we could get the echo cardiogram. He even ruined the finish on his dinning room table with the alcohol that he used for the echo. (oops). We repeated that study last week and the disease hadn't progressed. I am trying to be good and remember to give her her medication every night. So far, success.

I also had Dr. George Kramer, a local cardiologist, have a look at her. He agreed with the echo diagnosis but thought that the condition was more chronic than I had first thought. To be fair, Dr. Leleonnec said the same thing. It appears that this is just a case of the murmur sounding much worse than the disease. He seemed to feel that exercise restriction and medication is not needed at this time. I think I'll keep her on the benazepril and not run her ragged fetching the stuffed duck. However, if she continues to keep me up at night with her bizarre sounds and snoring I'm going to feed her a bunch of salt and push her into failure I swear.

I'll keep you all posted.

Keith Niesenbaum, VMD

www.TheVetsChoice.Com