When your Golden Retriever loses interest in food and activities, you can bet they are very ill.
With Bailey, this came on suddenly. He stopped eating, would mostly lay around and drag himself around when he had to move and looked miserable.
Something was very wrong, but Bailey couldn't tell either his mom or his veterinarian what was it that was bothering him. There was no obvious indicator as to what was going on. The only way to try and find out are diagnostic tests.
On the one hand, you're glad that everything looks good, but it is frustrating as well because you remain in the dark.
Next tests to perform were x-rays and ultrasound. Finally, there was an explanation for Bailey's not feeling good.
What that means is that Bailey had fluid accumulating within the membrane surrounding his heart. The function of this sac is to protect and lubricate the heart. When it collects an abnormally large amount of fluid, it compresses the heart and restricts its ability to pump blood.
It can have a number of causes including congenital disorders, congestive heart failure, clotting disorders, infections, and others. The most common cause seems to be a bleeding tumor. These tumors might be benign and yet cause all this trouble. Sometimes, the reason cannot be identified.
The first step of the treatment is to remove the excess fluid. That made Bailey feel better. But without knowing and addressing the cause, the problem can return. And it has.
To keep this from happening, Bailey needed to have surgery. In Bailey's case, it involved removing the sack altogether. That way the fluid had no place to accumulate.
The surgery worked for Bailey. Most dogs can manage without the pericardial sack well. Bailey is certainly his old, vigorous and happy self.
Read the original story here.
With Bailey, this came on suddenly. He stopped eating, would mostly lay around and drag himself around when he had to move and looked miserable.
What is going on with Bailey?
Something was very wrong, but Bailey couldn't tell either his mom or his veterinarian what was it that was bothering him. There was no obvious indicator as to what was going on. The only way to try and find out are diagnostic tests.
Bailey's blood work didn't provide any answers.
On the one hand, you're glad that everything looks good, but it is frustrating as well because you remain in the dark.
Next tests to perform were x-rays and ultrasound. Finally, there was an explanation for Bailey's not feeling good.
Bailey was suffering from heart disease--pericardial effusion.
What that means is that Bailey had fluid accumulating within the membrane surrounding his heart. The function of this sac is to protect and lubricate the heart. When it collects an abnormally large amount of fluid, it compresses the heart and restricts its ability to pump blood.
It can have a number of causes including congenital disorders, congestive heart failure, clotting disorders, infections, and others. The most common cause seems to be a bleeding tumor. These tumors might be benign and yet cause all this trouble. Sometimes, the reason cannot be identified.
Without treatment, Bailey could have died from heart failure.
The first step of the treatment is to remove the excess fluid. That made Bailey feel better. But without knowing and addressing the cause, the problem can return. And it has.
To keep this from happening, Bailey needed to have surgery. In Bailey's case, it involved removing the sack altogether. That way the fluid had no place to accumulate.
The surgery worked for Bailey. Most dogs can manage without the pericardial sack well. Bailey is certainly his old, vigorous and happy self.
Read the original story here.
What is your dog telling you about their health?
Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog now available in paperback and Kindle. Each chapter includes notes on when it is an emergency.
Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog is an award-winning guide to help you better understand what your dog is telling you about their health and how to best advocate for them.
Learn how to see and how to think about changes in your dog’s appearance, habits, and behavior. Some signs that might not trigger your concern can be important indicators that your dog needs to see a veterinarian right away. Other symptoms, while hard to miss, such as diarrhea, vomiting, or limping, are easy to spot but can have a laundry list of potential causes, some of them severe or even life-threatening.
Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog is a dog health advocacy guide 101. It covers a variety of common symptoms, including when each of them might be an emergency.
An award-winning guide for dog parents
- 2017 Maxwell Award from the Dog Writers Association of America for a book on health, behavior, or general care.
- 2017 Morris Animal Foundation Canine Health Award for the best science-based book about canine health issues.
- 2018 Reader's Favorite Honorable Mention in Non-Fiction - Animals category
I am always happy to hear when they find a solution to a life threatening problem
ReplyDeleteYes. Sometimes the scariest looking problems do have great solutions. That's why it's important not to give up until the fat lady sings.
DeleteWow this sounds worrying for the owners. Your lively dog suddenly becomes a shadow of their former selves. It's times like this that vet visits become a critical.
ReplyDeleteBailey's surgery is little short or miraculous. Who would have thought the sac could be removed!
Yeah, amazing, isn't it? And just recently they performed a valve replacement on a dog just using a catheter. Pretty awesome too.
DeleteI'm so glad Bailey was able to get surgery and fix the problem. You are definitely right...loss of interest in life is a sign of a problem indeed.
ReplyDeleteThere is a reason for everything. It's just a question of finding it.
DeleteThis is such a great post - a lot of people do not consider heart disease as a potential issue for their pets. But, it's more prevalent than most think!
ReplyDeleteTrue. It seems heart disease has not made it on dog parents' radar.
DeleteHeart disease is a big problem in certain breeds of cats (that I happen to be particularly attracted too). I find the fact that they could just remove the sac fascinating, you wouldn’t think it would work but it’s lifesaving.
ReplyDeleteYes, sounds wild. Of course, this works only for the particular problem, not for other heart conditions.
DeleteHow many times I wished my dog could talk! Often the dog hides his symptoms until he gets really sick. I'm glad Bailey made a complete recovery.I know how frustrating it is to go to the vet and they can't figure out the problem.I did have a dog with heart failure who was on drugs for about a year before he died.
ReplyDeleteThey do talk. But it would be nice if they spoke in plane English.
DeleteWow, I'm so glad that Bailey's vet figured out the problem and he is back to his normal self now!
ReplyDeletePoor Bailey! I'm so glad they discovered the cause in time to help Bailey. Scary.
ReplyDeleteLove & biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Very scary. It's amazing how relatively easily it was to fix once diagnosed.
DeleteExcellent information, as always! I feel so bad for Bailey, but am very happy they were able to determine what was going on. Heart issues are very scary, but it is good to know they are making such headway with all kinds of ailments today that years ago they did not have the means to help. Key is we know our dogs, so when your dog is not acting right, it's indeed time for a vet visit.
ReplyDeleteSome things look very scary and dire but can be fixed. Which is great.
Delete