Mollie sadly diagnosed with Heart Failure at age 5.

[chrisp]

Our beautiful Mollie was on Friday sadly diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure at only age 5. We've been told we have caught it early and that she is at the lower end of the scale but as it is the right side of her heart is 1/3 bigger and is pressing on her lungs and trachea. She has been put on Fortekor and Upcard tablets daily and will be having a heart scan in next Tues to see how the tablets are working. Can you please let me know who you get your online prescriptions from? Also if I claim from my insurance for medication each month are my premiums likely to rocket so would it be better for me to claim or pay myself for the medication? Any positive advice and re exercise, vitamins etc would be appreciated as we are devastated and completely shocked.

[PennyB]

So sorry to hear this - dogs can live well on the meds (and when Ruby had congestive heart failure I didn't change her lifestyle either as it was more about quality of life - she died age 12).

It depends on the insurers - mine rocketed re Lady's health conditions but to be fair they give me back each month how much I pay for in her meds (optimmune, metacam and yumoveadvance) so not an issue for me really. Two of my dogs are with another insurer that doesn't hike premiums up if you claim but then I have to pay out more in excess etc. so its swings and roundabouts for me really.

[sodpot2000]

So sorry to hear this. Not had a dog with this problem so cannot advise. All best wishes.
Rodney

[bizzylizzy]

So sorry to read this, I can imagine what a shock it must have been! I don't have any advice I'm afraid but just wanted to lend support and hope it'll be possible to keep the condition managed. Mollie really is a beautiful girl, she's very like my Humphrey.
I hope someone else will be able to offer you more practical advice. Sending out positive healing thoughts and very best wishes!  to Mollie.

[Millbean]

Our lovely Bertie was diagnosed with heart failure (dilated cardiomyopathy) at 5 years.  We were heart broken as I was on chemotherapy and my husband thought he was losing both of us. He was put on Fortekor, Vetmedin and Frusemide (Bertie not my husband!).  We were only insured for a year's worth of tablets with LV so it cost us over £190 for three months supply after the first year.  We had to pay the vet for the prescriptions, which was £12 each and we used Animed Direct for the tablets.  They were the cheapest and very good.  I think your premiums will probably go up, but if you are fully insured it will be cheaper in the long run.  We have learnt our lesson and our gorgeous new boy, Benny, is insured for life with LV.

One of the vets told us Bertie only had a couple of months to live, but he lived very happily for the next 4 years and we lost him last November aged 9.  I believe, with the right medication and lots of care and love Mollie could be like Bertie.  We never took him for long walks and were especially careful on hot days.  I fed him with low salt good food and I am sure this helped.  Unfortunately, he also had fits, but the vet didn't think it was related. Not many only a dozen over two years.

If you ever want to send me a private message or want any more information, please don't hesitate.  I couldn't find anyone who had the same problem and it was hard sometimes.

Wishing Mollie lots of happy days, like Bertie had.
x

[Patp]

So sorry to hear x no advice sorry, but try having a look at some of the facebook groups, there is lots of information and additional natural remedies that Mollie might benefit from xx

[Millbean]

I have PM'd you.

[Mudmagnets]

So sorry to read your news, no advice I'm afraid, but sending positive vibes and  for you and your little girl 

[Pearly]

Our lovely Bertie was diagnosed with heart failure (dilated cardiomyopathy) at 5 years.  We were heart broken as I was on chemotherapy and my husband thought he was losing both of us. He was put on Fortekor, Vetmedin and Frusemide (Bertie not my husband!).  We were only insured for a year's worth of tablets with LV so it cost us over £190 for three months supply after the first year.  We had to pay the vet for the prescriptions, which was £12 each and we used Animed Direct for the tablets.  They were the cheapest and very good.  I think your premiums will probably go up, but if you are fully insured it will be cheaper in the long run.  We have learnt our lesson and our gorgeous new boy, Benny, is insured for life with LV.

One of the vets told us Bertie only had a couple of months to live, but he lived very happily for the next 4 years and we lost him last November aged 9.  I believe, with the right medication and lots of care and love Mollie could be like Bertie.  We never took him for long walks and were especially careful on hot days.  I fed him with low salt good food and I am sure this helped.  Unfortunately, he also had fits, but the vet didn't think it was related. Not many only a dozen over two years.

If you ever want to send me a private message or want any more information, please don't hesitate.  I couldn't find anyone who had the same problem and it was hard sometimes.

Wishing Mollie lots of happy days, like Bertie had.
x

This is a really interesting read.

I'm sorry to read about Mollie (also Bertie) I know how awful this sort of diagnosis seems at the time but with meds and careful management animals do really well.

I had a Siamese cat who was on Foretkor for 5 years - age 13 months to just before her 6th birthday.  She was also on frusemide (poly cystic kidney disease and grade 4 heart murmur) she did really well although also suffered from fits as she passed 5 years old    having said that, her quality of life was astonishingly good for most of the time and she eventually died from a brain tumour (she was riddled with tumours at the end) Chester was a remarkable cat - at 13 months old I was informed she was unlikely to make it to 18 months.  I'm convinced the meds helped support her far beyond any expectations - after moving house the new Vet couldn't believe the diagnosis/previous practice notes and even now talks about her as being the healthiest cat with the worst kidneys he's ever seen in a living animal!

I'm sure Mollie will do really well on the meds.

Chesters insurance premium hardly went up over the 5 years she was on the meds.  That was with Petplan - they are expensive compared to some but to be fair it cost £28pcm in tablets and The premium was c £25pcm

[MIN]

what devastating news and such a young dog.  all Fingers and paws crossed here for you and Mollie 

[annclare]

First of all, your Mollie is beautiful and reminded me so much of my Mollie who died in 2010 aged 14 of just old age, lucky girl. I hope your Mollie does as well. I have had a cocker with heart problems, Hollie; she did extremely well on the medication (as Mollie's) for many years and in fact died of an unrelated cancer. She was by no means an invalid; I did cut down on her exercise but we still had plenty of good times. It is good that a few Col-ers are sharing similar experiences with you and I sure you and Mollie will soon get into the tablet-taking routine and enjoy your partnership as much if not more than before. A big hug to you both.     

[Geordietyke]

Really sorry to hear poor Mollie's sad news, I hope her meds are sorted quickly and she continues to enjoy a long, happy life 

[Anita]

So sorry to here your news, hope the meds work and she does well.

[PennyB]

I think one of the only ones that doesn't seem to go up after you claim is petplan - mine never has (I have had pets on same premiums with them and one pet claims and other doesn't and they both just go up the same amount after government tax & inflation) but its the more expensive of the insurers anyway - others do go up but sometimes you find while its a shock to begin with its not as bad as it looks - well until the government get their stealth tax in though.

Good luck with the heart scan (Lady was so chilled at hers thankfully she didn't need sedating)

[MacTavish Boys]

So sorry to hear about Mollie, sending healing and positive thoughts
Stephanie, George and Hamish xxx