Helen Daniels
Boxer Pal
I have a really tough decision to make and don't know what to do so I'm trying to find anyone who has a boxer with BCM that has had an anaesthetic since diagnosis. The cardiologist I've been seeing would like to insert a device called a Reveal XT into my 5 year old girl, Skye. In humans, the device is used to aid diagnosis, in Skye it would be used to monitor her condition 24x7 for up to 3 years; this would give us a much better picture of what is going on with her heart and allow us to treat her accordingly (she's currently on sota
, Fortekor and Omega 3, 6 & 9 fish oils). At the moment she is being holtered, 3 times in the last 3 months and the picture is not good (waiting the results of the latest one which was only removed last night) but we're not sure how much of this is caused by wearing the Holter in the first place as we know it stresses her out. The downside to inserting the Reveal device is that it will have to be done under a general rather than a local anaesthetic - she would possibly become so stressed under local that she could have sudden heart failure. The cardiologist has spoken to colleagues and one of the top 3 veterinary anaesthetists in the UK has volunteered to do the anaesthetic and another cardiologist has also volunteered to assist mine but Skye is still going to be at risk even though they will have all the necessary equipment to resuscitate her if her heart fails. Chances are the procedure will take less than 15 mins - they would do all the prep work beforehand. I'm not looking for anybody to give me advice on what to do - there's only me can make that decision; what I am looking for is if anyone has any experience at all of their own dogs having an anaesthetic while suffering from BCM and what the outcome was. From what I can find out there haven't been any studies that can give me that information so I'm just hoping someone out there can share information with me. If we don't use this device Skye's future is at best uncertain, with the device it is still going to be uncertain but it may show us something we don't capture on the Holters and it may give us a better understanding of how to treat her. Just for the record, the cardiologist(s) believe that in theory, the device is a good idea but they have the same concerns about putting Skye under anaesthetic.
Sorry this is War & Peace but don't know where else to turn.
, Fortekor and Omega 3, 6 & 9 fish oils). At the moment she is being holtered, 3 times in the last 3 months and the picture is not good (waiting the results of the latest one which was only removed last night) but we're not sure how much of this is caused by wearing the Holter in the first place as we know it stresses her out. The downside to inserting the Reveal device is that it will have to be done under a general rather than a local anaesthetic - she would possibly become so stressed under local that she could have sudden heart failure. The cardiologist has spoken to colleagues and one of the top 3 veterinary anaesthetists in the UK has volunteered to do the anaesthetic and another cardiologist has also volunteered to assist mine but Skye is still going to be at risk even though they will have all the necessary equipment to resuscitate her if her heart fails. Chances are the procedure will take less than 15 mins - they would do all the prep work beforehand. I'm not looking for anybody to give me advice on what to do - there's only me can make that decision; what I am looking for is if anyone has any experience at all of their own dogs having an anaesthetic while suffering from BCM and what the outcome was. From what I can find out there haven't been any studies that can give me that information so I'm just hoping someone out there can share information with me. If we don't use this device Skye's future is at best uncertain, with the device it is still going to be uncertain but it may show us something we don't capture on the Holters and it may give us a better understanding of how to treat her. Just for the record, the cardiologist(s) believe that in theory, the device is a good idea but they have the same concerns about putting Skye under anaesthetic.Sorry this is War & Peace but don't know where else to turn.