strange reaction to walking

[EMWAZ]

Your description of the problem existing on the right ventrical and existence of arrythmias sounds to me that he has arrythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Otherwise commonly known as, Boxer Cardiomyopthy.

There are a small subset of boxers who reach a stage of ARVC where the ventrical will dilate, which can sometimes cause a misdiagnosis. What is important to this case though is the arrythmia. DCM is a systemic heart problem, while ARVC is a electrical conduction problem. They are quite different disease.

I'm curious, did your vet mention ARVC? If so, did he mention why he didn't think that was it?

Either way, many a boxer with ARVC (and dogs with DCM) live a number a happy years with the proper treatment. While it can be heart breaking, you're one of the lucky ones who know about the issue and can treat it before it was too late.

Well I don't know the technical part and the vet did not mention ARVC. The only thing they did say was his heart was not contracting properly and that was what was going on. Would that make a difference in the medication or otherwise? How do they tell the difference anyway from DCM or the ARVC? They had a cardiologist review all the findings also. Thanks for the good information about both heart problems..

 

[GoCougs]

I can't really speak for how the treatment differs.

The detection of the two conditions are different though. Since DCM is a systemic, or physical, problem, they would need to evaluate the physical structure of the heart. This is done via echocardiogram....or take a "picture" of the heart.

Since ARVC is electrical in nature, you would need to listen to the heart. This is done via a holter, or EKG, which is used to listen to the heart beat and determine if there is an accompanying "pulse" with each beat.

This could again cause a misdiagnosis. If they do one and not the other, you aren't likely to find both.

 

[EMWAZ]

I can't really speak for how the treatment differs.

The detection of the two conditions are different though. Since DCM is a systemic, or physical, problem, they would need to evaluate the physical structure of the heart. This is done via echocardiogram....or take a "picture" of the heart.

Since ARVC is electrical in nature, you would need to listen to the heart. This is done via a holter, or EKG, which is used to listen to the heart beat and determine if there is an accompanying "pulse" with each beat.

This could again cause a misdiagnosis. If they do one and not the other, you aren't likely to find both.

They did the echocardiogram and an EKG and an X-ray... They also did a blood test and listen to his heart..

 

[GoCougs]

They did the echocardiogram and an EKG and an X-ray... They also did a blood test and listen to his heart..

Of course they did an EKG. That's how you detect arrythmia. I'd still love to know why they ruled out ARVC when there is right ventricular arrythmia. As was previously stated, DCM isn't particularly that common in boxers. ARVC on the other hand, is one of the biggest heart health risks of this breed. Both are extremely deadly heart conditions, and the treatment should be inclusive of both.

 

[EMWAZ]

Of course they did an EKG. That's how you detect arrythmia. I'd still love to know why they ruled out ARVC when there is right ventricular arrythmia. As was previously stated, DCM isn't particularly that common in boxers. ARVC on the other hand, is one of the biggest heart health risks of this breed. Both are extremely deadly heart conditions, and the treatment should be inclusive of both.

They never ruled out the ARVC, they just never mentioned it, if the Holter monitor is the only way to find it that's probably why it hasn't been mentioned, because we did not do that. I don't think I can afford the Holter monitor either because I understand the cost is quite high. We are already in the $1500 dollar area, after $3000 on my other boxer Pancho who had cancer, not that either of them weren't, aren't worth it. This has just been a bad 3 months for our boxers. I would also say is that the arrythimia he has, he has had a long time, before it only seemed to show up when he was under anesthia, with his eye surgeries..

I will do some research and see if there is a difference in the treatment or not and whatever they are doing he is feeling better.