Has anyone dealt with this before?
Well about 2 weeks ago I noticed that Harley didn't seem his normal hyper self. He was still eating and relieving himself, but on our 3 mile weekend hikes he'd be panting by the end (which I thought was because of heat). A few days later I noticed that his feces were encased in slime (gross sorry). So, this weekend he started to have a little cough. It was almost like a hack, I thought he had something stuck in his throat because just prior he was chewing on his rope.
Well, I took him to the vet today and his temp was normal and everything checked out. It was when she was trying to listen to his heart that she said he had a heart murmur. (mind you on his yearly check up in March his heart was fine). I ran to the car to get Sasha and thank goodness she was fine. After 2 x-rays, an EKG, and a few hundred dollars later this is the senerio.
One x-ray showed the right side of his heart is enlarged a bit, and the other x-ray showed his lungs had something in them.. (i was so in shock and just staring i can't remember what she said). She told me lately there has been a huge increase in dogs that have had viral infections and that possibly Harley contracted a virus and it was attacking him at his heart valve. If this is the case the penacillin (sp) should help that. He is also taking Enalapril which she said will help any heart disease. BUT the enalapril can harm his kidneys. He also had an EKG which did look normal, but she said it is very common for boxers to have heart arithnias (sp again sorry).
If it is not the valve infection he'll have to wear a monitor for 24hrs to take a constant EKG and if he has 40 or more in a day he has the arithnia. Which my vet said he could go on forever or one day just have a cardiac arrest and die. He'd also have to have a cardiogram ( i think) where they could actually see his heart and the valves to find out what is the problem, and if needed valve transplant. Which is only done at TX A&M university or something.
I pray pray pray that because this is hereditary that since Sasha is from the same litter she does not have this same problem down the road. My vet seems to think she has more of the pit bullness (for lack of better words) and will not have these ailments that are known to the boxer breed.
Sorry this was long. Has anyone had anything like this with their dog? If so what was the prognosis?
Please keep Harley in your prayers that it is just the infection, not heart disease.