Congestive Heart Failure in Dogs – Could Our Protocol Be Working? Sophie’s Story, Pt. 9

Previous Post At A Glance:

• We were officially on the heart dis-ease/kidney dis-ease see-saw of trying to manage fluid in her lungs with Lasix and keep her kidneys from being destroyed by Lasix
• Dr. Marty Goldstein suggested Azodyl, a supplement that can bring down kidney levels closer to normal
• I came across a little known/used homeopathic remedy called Alcoholus, which we tried for Sophie’s heart dis-ease and helped and then arrested her incontinence…twice.
• Discovered Cellular BOOST, an electrolyzed  trace minerals spray that unclumps red blood cells, oxygenates cells and helps them take in nutrients much more efficiently. Put Sophie on this and it’s making a difference.
• We were about to have Sophie’s next blood tests done to check her kidney values and her third echocardiogram since April to see the state of her heart.

It Feels Like Hours When…

You’re waiting in the cardiologist’s office while she’s running the echo cardiogram probe around your dog’s chest and you’re wondering what she’s tapping into that machine and what she’s thinking about the state of your dog’s heart. I swear I held my breath for ten minutes until she looked up and spoke. And then…the angels sang.

Dr. Julia Lindholm, our wonderful cardiologist, told me Sophie’s heart was getting smaller and the pressure was coming down. The upper part of the left side of her heart was still enlarged and the pressure was still high but…it was smaller and lower than it was in May. An X-ray showed no fluid in her lungs, around her heart or in her abdomen. This all on a lower dose of Lasix, the diuretic drug that’s like the anvil of diuretics, sucking up the fluid while pounding the kidneys into submission, then failure. Could our protocol be working, after all?

What They Did Find We Had No Idea About

The X-ray did reveal something we hadn’t anticipated. Sophie had a mildly collapsed trachea. Dr. Lindholm said it was common in little dogs as they age and with heart dis-ease. She said she felt that was where Sophie’s honking cough, which had gotten worse, was coming from, not from any fluid, which they couldn’t find. She also said they usually treat collapsed trachea symptomatically, meaning when she has a flare up, they treat with cough medicine or something like that. I said I would look into how to treat naturally, which I’m doing. What I relief to know fluids wasn’t filling up in her lungs, causing her to cough. Still, it needs to be addressed.

What Can Happen On A Lower Diuretic Dose with Kidney Supports

Two days earlier, we’d been in our local vet’s office at Crossing Animal Clinic, getting Sophie’s blood levels checked, specifically her kidney values. The last time we’d checked back on July 19, her BUN was >130, so off the charts high that a specific value isn’t even placed on it. Her Creatinine had been 2.76, where the ceiling of normal was 1.8. Creatinine doesn’t even elevate until 75% of the kidneys functions are failing.

Today, the news was far more optimistic. Her BUN came down to 80, still very high (the ceiling of normal is 27), but moving in the right direction. Her Creatinine came down to 1.9, only .1 from a normal reading. I was over the moon!

Why Conventional Meets Complementary in Heart Dis-ease Is So Powerful

I believe, in my heart of hearts, that Sophie is improving because of her complementary and conventional protocol. I think the Azodyl is helping stabilize her kidneys, along with her ongoing use of Kidney & Heart Glandular by Best For Your Pet, with Pet Wellbeing’s Kidney Support Gold, with AminAvast and the wonderful supplements both Dr. Sagrera and Dr. Ruskin have her on.

I believe her daily intake, two times a day, of dandelion/parsley tea, of red clover tea, all natural diuretics, helped clear the fluid from her lungs and heart, while being able to lower her Lasix. I believe her kidney support diet from Darwin’s Pet, a healthy raw meat with organs diet is helping. I believe HighVibe Mushrooms, a beautiful ten medicinal mushroom blend I use as well as the dogs is helping. I believe the Cellular Boost electrolyzed trace minerals spray two times a day is helping oxygenate her cells, helping them to take in nutrients and to heal better. I believe MuttGut, the only pre/pro/post biotic on the market with a proprietary fermentation process that makes it that much more effective at balancing the gut microbiome, is definitely helping. And I believe homeopathy is helping, energetically working behind the scenes.

This Protocol Isn’t In Any Book

It is the combination of knowledge, experience and experimentation of wonderful vets and pet industry manufacturers and friends. It is the result of asking good questions, doing research and seeking out those who know more than me for council.

It is something I want for each of you, too; it’s why I became a health coach. We all have the power to advocate for our beloved animals. To find the best combinations of what’s available to us to serve them best. To seek out guidance and support from people who know more than us.

I’m feeling very blessed right now. I have no idea what tomorrow brings for Sophie. I’m cherishing every day with her. And, I’m still hopeful of weaning her off of Lasix, completely, at the right time and of the other meds at the right times. We’ll see. I’m taking it one day at a time.

And, today, Sophie is bouncy, still insisting on humping Anabelle, as they wait for me to open the back door to the yard. She still wants to go out for a walk, to take liberties exploring other people’s open garages as if she owns the place. She might not be the exact same Sophie as she was before all of this, but she’s close enough for me to recognize her and smile at every bark that used to annoy, and to laugh at her antics with cherished delight.

I know you understand.

I’ll keep you posted as time goes on. Now that she’s stable and we don’t have another echo cardiogram for four to six months, I’ll be writing more about other topics that could be helpful to you. So, hold those babies close and cherish each moment. Life is too darn short for all of us!

To their best health ever!

Jody