Heart Problems

[Leslie Shibo]

MY BABY SABIAN,BORN 1/28/00, HAD AN EPISODE BACK IN MAY WHERE HE BASICALLY PASSED OUT, GUMS TURNED WHITE AND HE WOULDN'T MOVE FOR ME. I DID EVERYTHING TO GET HIM UP, FINALLY HE GOT UP ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LATER AND I BROUGHT HIM BY THE WATER, BECAUSE I THOUGHT HE WAS OVERHEATED AND HE LOVES TO GO SWIMMING , SO WHAT BETTER. ANYWAY, HE WAS FINE AFTER THAT. I THEN STARTED THINKING AND KNOWING THAT BOXERS HAVE HISTORY OF HEART PROBLEMS I THOUGHT I SHOULD PROBABLY GET HIM CHECKED OUT. NOT THINKING THE VET WAS GOING TO TELL ME SOMETHING BAD, HE TOLD ME HE HAD A BAD TICKER, AFTER DOING A ULTRASOUND AND EKG. WE THEN PUT A HEART MONITOR ON HIM FOR A DAY TO DETERMINE HIS RATES AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY. LET ME TELL YOU IT WAS THE WORST DAY OF MY LIFE:( THIS THING WAS WRAPPED SO TIGHTLY AROUND HIM, HE COULD BARELY WALK,WOULDN'T GO TO THE BATHROOM, AND THEY EXPECTED HIM TO GO OUT AND PLAY LIKE HE USUALLY DOES AND HE COULDN'T. WELL NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE RESULTS WERE INCONCLUSIVE. BASICALLY SAYING HE WAS FINE, THEY DID RECOMMEND AND EKG EVERY 3 MONTHS. NO MEDICINE, NO NOTHING. SO BASICALLY I'M WORRIED IT'S JUST A WAITING GAME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR IF THERE IS ANYTHING TO DO.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THEY COULD TELL ME? I'M SO WORRIED HE'S MY BABY AND I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR HIM.

 

[Jeanne]

Setting up a holter shouldn't be so tight and uncomfortable that he doesn't want to move. I've holtered several times, and the dogs go out and run and do all their normal stuff.

For results, what do they mean by *inconclusive?* It records abnormal or missed beats. Nothing rocket science about that. It either worked or it didn't You need to find out if there were any abnormal beats, how many and if any were strung togther. The jury is still out on how many make an abnormal *boxer* heart because the problem is so prevalent in the breed. Get the results and have a cardiologist look at them.

You may also want to repaet the holter, but have someone else help you with it. Up here, we have a couple club members with one, so we just lend them to each other, then send the tapes into Lifewatch for interpretation.

 

[boxers4life2001]

It does sound like he has a heart problem. My parents boxer collapsed while playing (after a couple minutes he seemed fine.) We rushed him to the hospital his x-rays and echo looked fine. His EKG was horrible and his heart rate was sky high. We jumped in the car and drove over 3 hour's to OSU hoping they would call the cardiologist in on emergency (it was sat & after hours) He was in such bad shape they did. After several more test's they diagnosed him with BCM. Cayenne also had a holter placed on him and I agree it should not be wrapped so tight he can't carry on his normal routine. They might be alittle uncomfortable at first but they get use to it. He now takes medicine 2 x daily for life.

Did you see a cardiologist yet or just your reg. vet? If not that would be my first suggestion. If you did, look for another one for a second opinion. This could have been a warning sign for you. Alot of the time boxers with BCM die from sudden death and the parent's never knew anything was ever wrong. I also agree that the holter should be repeated. An EKG can appear "normal" every time it is ran, they only run it for a few minutes and if nothing happens in those few minutes (like VPC) then they think nothing is wrong. Why did the doctor say he has a "bad ticker?" Is his heart enlarged, arrthymia's, etc?

Please seek a second opinion, there has to be a reason why your baby collapsed and his gum's turned white. I will keep him in my prayers. Please keep us updated on him!!!!

 

[heidiho]

Deffinately get a 2nd opinion. There are alot of vets out there that don't know what they are doing and from the sounds of it this vet may be one of them. The holter was on way too tight.

I lost my boy back in July to this suddenly it was terrible. So, I again ask you to get a 2nd opinion.

 

[mmllr]

Tucker has an irregular heart beat also. I think it started after he was hit back in Dec. He's been to the vet many times, but she hasn't ever said anything about the heart. We've been wondering, too, how severe it is and if we should get it checked out. His heart (even at rest) will beat normal for a while, pause, then beat quick twice, and repeat. He acts fine and never tires quickly like his heart is having a hard time.

Good luck with your pup and keep us updated.

~~~~~~~~
Marianne
Tucker-fawn, half white, half fawn face, docked, natural ears, born mother's day, 2001

 

[matilda8255]

mmllr- I think you should take Tucker to a board certified cardiologist. Heart problems are not something to mess around with and if your instinct is telling you something is wrong I would take him soon. Forget your vet and get a second opinion from someone who knows what they are talking about. Often the first symptom of Boxer Cardiomyopathy is death.

 

[mmllr]

Thanks Stephanie! I'll see where the nearest one is around here and see about getting it checked out.