15 week puppy colapses

[DycksDogs]

We have a 15 week boxer puppy (Cooper) that collapsed last night when running out in the backyard.
I took him down to the emergency vet clinic where they started doing tests and kept him overnight.
The tests they did was a XRay, EKG and blood work. They kept him overnight and today they will be doing a ECG.
Won't know for a few hours what they have found.
Last night they mentioned that he had a stage 3 heart murmur.
We had him at our regular vets 3 weeks ago for his shots and first check up. She did not mention any heart murmur. I have left a message for her to call me to discuss.
The vet last night mentioned Cardio Myelopathy (I'm sure I spelled that wrong), but also said it would be very unusual for a puppy his age to have this.

If he does have a grade 3 heart murmur, is it possible it will go away? If not, is there anything they can do for this?
Does anyone know of a puppy this young having Cardio Myelopathy?
Could it be anything other than a heart problem?

I'm trying to stay calm but my hands are still shaking typing this!

 

[MYALI]

My heart goes out to you and your pup! I have never had to deal with that issue. I pray all goes well.

 

[Cami]

I would suspect stenosis of some sort. A narrowing of the aortic valve would be aortic stenosis or AS. A narrowing below the valve would be sub-aortic stenosis or SAS.
My girl is a-symptomatic but diagnosed with a heart murmur of 2/3 at 9 weeks of age. An ultrasound will give you answers IF stenosis is the culprit. My girls EKG (ECG is the same thing) was perfectly normal. Two different visits gave us two different diagnosis....once it was SAS and the other it was AS. Still unsure as she was less than a year at her last cardio check-up and not slated for further testing until she turns 3 years old next summer.
A murmur is just a symptom of an issue and they hunt for the cause of the murmur. Cardiomyopathy while common in Boxers wouldn't be at the top of my list at 15 weeks of age. Not saying it isn't possible but it is more commonly seen in older dogs... as in upwards of 2 years of age.
I hope you get some answers very soon. Hopefully it isn't a heart related issue at all and you will just have to keep an eye on the murmur. Typically a grade 1 sometimes even a 2 will self resolve with age (disappears with age by around 16 weeks). A grade 3 needs addressed to pinpoint the cause.

 

[darwinsmom]

Hi,

So sorry you are going through this. It is very scary. The term is cardiomyopathy. There are two forms: dilated (where the heart becomes stretched and enlarged - unlikely in a puppy) and arrhythmogenic right ventricular (ARVC) (where the heart beats abnormally due to a problem with electrical conduction in the heart muscle). Boxers have a very high incidence of this second type. However it usually presents at middle-age or later. This disease is diagnosed by 24-hour ekg.

There is another congenital heart problem known in boxers that has to do with a structural abnormality in the heart. A narrowing of the aorta (aortic stenosis or subaortic stenosis) restricts the flow of blood to the heart, which is why with exertion it can cause collapse. One of the symptoms of the narrowing is a heart murmur (although there can be other causes for murmurs). This is diagnosed by an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart).

Both are pretty serious conditions, and you would be best served by taking Cooper to see a veterinary cardiologist if it is at all possible. At least get your vet to consult with one. Boxers have very specific heart issues that differ from many other breeds, many regular vets simply don't have the experience or expertise with the breed.

-Karlyn

 

[DycksDogs]

Update on Cooper - Heart murmur and Mega Esophagus

So here is what we have found out.
He does have a grade 3 heart murmur. They are trying to find a holter to fit a puppy as they still want to monitor him for 24 hours to make sure there is nothing else going on.

But the big thing they found is that he has what is called mega esophagus. This means that when he eats and drinks, the food and water is pooling in this esophagus and not getting to his stomach. Because of this, he is regurgitating the food and water which aspirates into his lungs. This then gets bacteria in his lungs and this gives him phenomonia (spelling??).
There is nothing they can do for it. He will have this for the rest of his life and it will more than likely get worse when he gets older. It is very rare for a puppy to get this. Normally happens in older dogs.

So, going forward, we need to give him food and water only when he is standing with his upper body straight up and down. This will allow gravity to get the food to his stomach. He will need 1/2 hour of quiet time in his crate after eating. He will never be allowed to get too excited therefore no running 9-0 around the yard like he loves to do.

He will have to go for regular XRAYs to ensure his lungs are okay.

What are we going to do with him??? LUV HIM TO BITS of course.
He will learn to adjust to this life style.
My husband and I will need to adjust some things also.
But our mini-Coop is worth it. We won't let him down. We will try to give him as normal a life as possible.

We did find a support group for people who have dogs with this condition so we will learn lots from them.
My husband will make a doggy highchair for him to eat and drink in.

Please say your prayers for our Cooper (and for us) that we can adjust quickly to this and get back to as normal a life as we can.

Thanks for listening!

 

[Boxer Babies]

I would like to firstly say how sorry I am that your facing this. I know how devastating this is to face. My boy was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis aged 3. At first I couldn't look at him without crying my eyes out. But it is not the end, and your pup may live a long and healthy life if managed correctly. Thai will be ten this year and has been on meds since diagnosis which kept his fainting at bay until around 12 months ago. He now has fainting episodes quite regularly but that's to be expected given his age.

The key is the find yourself a good cardiologist and get all the tests done yearly to best manage things. Your relationship with the cardio will be a godsend for you as support.

The other thing you need to prepare yourself for and I'm sorry to have to say this, but sudden death is a very real possibility and one you should prepare for. It gets easier with time to adjust and comes to terms with this, but all I Can say is cherish every day with your fur baby.

I would also be going back to your breeder and letting them know so they can arrange testing on the rest of the litter. If they are decent breeders they will want to know this info.

Again I am sorry your facing this but this site is a wealth of support. You can look up my old posts about Thai to get some info that might help.

Sending lots of boxer love your way xx

 

[JCash]

JCash

I am so sorry to hear about your Cooper! My Joe "fainted" when he was about 6 months old - we thought he just got light-headed running down the stairs. When he was about 5 years old, he fainted again and we found out that he had dilated cardiomyopathy. He had regular annual check-ups and they didn't note any irregularities with his heart. After the second fainting spell, the vet prescribed soto, which worked great for a couple of years. He then began fainting more regularly (every couple of months) in the middle of the night. One night he began coughing and acting like he was going to vomit and we found out he had congestive heart failure. The emergency Vet presrice vetmedin, soto, lasik, and a another medication to reduce his blood pressure. This worked great for several months, but his heart finally stopped on July 20, 2012. It's not my intention to scare you, but the reality is that you will need to take special care if he does in fact have cardiomyopathy.

You'll need to keep a close eye on this - i'd ask your Vet about a holter monitor to see how arrymthmic his heart might be. I always felt that if we knew about his heart condition earlier, it may have prolonged his life beyond 9 years. You should certainly notify your breeder if possible. Good luck... our thoughts are with you... they are certainly the most incredible dogs!!!

 

[auntthelm]

Saying my prayers and wishing the best for Cooper and for you.