Prayers Needed

Ginny

Ginny

New member
While some may think it's inappropriate for me to make the following public, I am doing so for the following reasons:

  • NN prayers seem to work their magic and my sweet Amelia could use some
  • the importance of a second opinion
  • so Backyard Breeders will understand how critical health screenings are for our special breed
At my recent litter's 10 wk. heart checks, the cardiologist heard what she felt sure was a "functional" murmur on Amelia. We returned at 12 and a half weeks - the murmur was still there and an echocardiogram was done. She was diagnosed with mild SAS because the aortic velocity was 2.45 m/second. At 16 weeks,I took her to another cardiologist for a second opinion and only told her that a murmur had been detected at 12 weeks. After auscultation, the cardiologist confirmed a murmur and said that she thought it was PDA. Another doppler and echo were done. This time I was able to observe the whole procedure. After examining the anatomy around the aorta, the cardiologist commented that she had no SAS. I said nothing and she moved on to the upper portion of the heart where a PDA would be. After doing all the measurements there, she confirmed that Amelia had PDA. I then told her of the earlier diagnosis of SAS. She went back and rechecked her and, again, found no evidence of SAS. Her aortic velocity was 1.7 m/sec - well within the normal range.

Had I not gotten a second opinion, Amelia could well have died from PDA and it would have been attributed to SAS. As you experienced breeders out there know, PDA is correctable via surgery; SAS is not.

So....Amelia will undergo heart surgery next week. Once the PDA is fixed, she will lead a perfectly normal life. Her only restriction will be that she should never be bred.

PLEASE keep my sweet Amelia in your prayers. For good reason, I'm a bit nervous about allowing any of my dogs, and especially my pups, to undergo surgery. I dare say, I'll be a wreck...
 
J

Jorge's mum

New member
Lots of good luck and prayers and doggy licks coming from us lot! I bet she will be just fine! Keep us updated big hugs for you too xxxx
 
Sun Valley

Sun Valley

New member
Ginny,

I have had a few PDA's through the years and after the first one I knew exactly what it was when it showed up again. Even my local Vet was able to diagnosis it before the litter was old enough for heart checks.

It is a machinery type murmur that reverberates up the neck. It can be easily felt when picking up a puppy. I recognized it on a 5 week old puppy.

I've had the coil embolization done at Cornell and the puppy was ready to go home the next day. Is that what your having done?

I'm glad you were able to get a second opinion and as I believe I've mentioned here before, I gave away a puppy 3 years ago who went on to get his Ch. The dog had been dopplered 3 times by 3 different Cardiologists and each one gave a different opinion on his grade 1 murmur. We are still no further ahead with a definitive diagnosis.

I'm sure your puppy will be fine...please let us know the outcome.

Lou Ann
 
R Taft

R Taft

Active member
Prayers and healing thoughts for Amelia, may she fly through her procedure and lead a happy life :hugs:

Gosh Ginny, you are not having much luck in the vet Department, you must be loosing faith in them. Good for you for going for a second opinion. So sad and worry some that you have to do this......Ronnie
 
Ginny

Ginny

New member
Sun Valley said:
Ginny,

I have had a few PDA's through the years and after the first one I knew exactly what it was when it showed up again. Even my local Vet was able to diagnosis it before the litter was old enough for heart checks.

It is a machinery type murmur that reverberates up the neck. It can be easily felt when picking up a puppy. I recognized it on a 5 week old puppy.

I've had the coil embolization done at Cornell and the puppy was ready to go home the next day. Is that what your having done?

I'm glad you were able to get a second opinion and as I believe I've mentioned here before, I gave away a puppy 3 years ago who went on to get his Ch. The dog had been dopplered 3 times by 3 different Cardiologists and each one gave a different opinion on his grade 1 murmur. We are still no further ahead with a definitive diagnosis.

I'm sure your puppy will be fine...please let us know the outcome.

Lou Ann
Click to expand...
Interesting Lou Ann. Prior to the first check at the cardiologist, the pups were listened to by 2 different vets at 7 and 8 weeks...neither heard anything. I have been able to feel a strong rapid heartbeat when handling her, however. Now, I know what a PDA feels like.

I'll know after the consult exactly what her procedure will entail. The cardiologist said she can go home the next day so I'm assuming it'll be a catherization via the femoral artery. I've read about the coils and other types of blocking devices that can be used, depending on the size of the vessel. I'm glad they don't do the chest-cracking, open heart stuff too much anymore.

My understanding is that if the transducer isn't parallel to the aortic valve, the pressure gradient and velocity can be off. Just like anything else, it depends on the skill of the person doing the test. Since I wasn't allowed to observe the first one, I don't know how much Amelia struggled. I do know the 2nd cardiologist took twice the amount of time doing the procedure and I was there to help hold my 'ball of fire' down. Finally she fell asleep on the table! Moral of this story, echocardiograms are not fool proof...
 
Bluedog

Bluedog

New member
Ginny said:
Moral of this story, echocardiograms are not fool proof...
Click to expand...
It's not that the Echo/dopplers aren't fool proof, it's the cardiologist and technicians that are not. Test interpretation and results are only as good as the practitioner or specialist. That is why so many murmurs and abnormalities are missed with auscultation as well...only as good as the practitioner's or specialist's ability to detect it.

Praying hard for your Amelia and her surgeon. Hugs and strength going out to you Ginny.
 
Ginny

Ginny

New member
Bluedog said:
It's not that the Echo/dopplers aren't fool proof, it's the cardiologist and technicians that are not. Test interpretation and results are only as good as the practitioner or specialist. That is why so many murmurs and abnormalities are missed with auscultation as well...only as good as the practitioner's or specialist's ability to detect it.

Praying hard for your Amelia and her surgeon. Hugs and strength going out to you Ginny.
Click to expand...

That was exactly my point, Nancy. People think that the echo is the be all and end all. As stated:

My understanding is that if the transducer isn't parallel to the aortic valve, the pressure gradient and velocity can be off. Just like anything else, it depends on the skill of the person doing the test.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the well wishes.
 
dee

dee

New member
Sorry to hear this, Ginny. Prayers and positive thoughts for a successful procedure on your little girl.:icon_knuddel:
 
nowhavethreebears

nowhavethreebears

New member
Loads of prayers and well wishes coming for your beautiful little fluffball Amelia. Hoping everything goes as smoothly as possible for her (and you!).
 
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