In need of opinions about tonights trip to the ER

[jmz1978]

When I got home from work this evening, instead of Charlie running up to greet me, she slowly walked up and rested her head against my leg. I took her outside, and she just stood there, instead of her normal running around like crazy. An hour later she was lying on the kitchen floor breathing very hard and staring at nothing, her eyes glazed over and her head hanging. She NEVER acts like that. I decided to take her to the 24hr emergency vet. I literally had to lift her into the truck.
By the time we got there, she was acting better. After a 20 min wait to see the doctor, she was back to her old self. I got home and she immediatly went over to her water bowl, drank, and then went to the food bowl and whined for food.
The Vet said it was possible she was over heated, (my house is a little warm tonight) and the fact that she has a minor heart murmur could mean her heart was racing and it wasn't slowing down at all.
The whole thing seems very weird to me. Anyone have any opinions as to what happened?

 

[ROROSHELTON]

Wow, how scary is that! It hasn't happened to me so I can't offer an opinion but I would have gone to the vet too. When it starts getting warm I put a fan on for Brutus while I'm at work. Hope Charlie is doing better!

 

[Cami]

Seems like a sort of "generic" diagnosis to me.
What was her temp? How was the color of her gum's (not after she started acting more normal)?
Was she panting profusely (you didn't mention it so I assume not). If she were "overheated" that would have been something you would have noticed. Perhaps that is what you meant by "breathing very hard"?
Did you have the AC on in your vehicle? Was your house indeed so hot that all she needed was some AC?
I'm glad she is feeling better but I don't think I would accept that overheating thing just yet. The fact that she has known heart issues would make me investigate that further to see if the condition has possibly progressed.

 

[jmz1978]

by the time we got to the vet her gums were normal (the vet mentioned that)... She was panting a little at home, but her breathing was just really fast and harder than normal. The vet said to just watch and if it happens again to bring her in..... I did have the AC on in the car and the vets office was freezing..... next time (if there is a next time, hopefully not) I'm just gunna put her in the car and blast the AC for a few minutes. Its just weird that she's 4 years old and this has never happened before.

 

[ChristyA]

Did they do a chest xray? My dear girl Sophie was 10 1/2 when this happened to her, she would move very slowly, pant, stand and stare. I took her to the ER vet $450 later they said she was fine probably just ate something that didn't agree with her. Two days later it got worse, her gums would go gray, then 10 minutes later pink. I took her to my regular vet who witnessed her gums go gray then pink. She did a chest xray and found that Sophie had an enlarged heart.

I would have a thorough heart check up done on Charlie.

Christy

 

[jmz1978]

Charlie does have a murmur (aortic stenosis) but has not had an EKG since the end of 2005..... might be time for another one.