
The Vet Meds:
Hello again! In this 2nd segment, we'll talk about what medicines that the Vet prescribed for Meeko's Congestive Heart Failure (CHF).
We mentioned in the last Blog Post that he was given VetMedin (Pimobendin), Lasix (Furosemide), Benazipril and Torbutrol.
1. VetMedin:
First up is the PIMOBENDAN (VetMedin). This one is used to open vessels & lower pressure. It is a relatively new medicine on the market, and has, "not been extensively researched in dogs with diabetes, heart defects," etc.
Okay, so I'm being told to give this med to my dog who has a heart 'defect' - a heart murmur, enlarged heart and congestive heart failure. Feeling a little leery...
1a. - Side Effects & Cautions:
In further researching this medicine, it seemed strange that the side effects were exactly like the symptoms that were trying to be avoided: "Labored Breathing, Cough, Build-up of Fluid" etc.
How will we know if it’s from his illness, or the medicine? : ) The warnings state to: "Use with extreme caution and only with the recommendation of an experienced veterinarian."
Source: https://www.petmd.com/pet-medication/vetmedin
Other Options?
But, there's no other choice, he has to have this medicine, right? Given the above cautions, we opted at first to give Meeko just small amounts of the VetMedin to start with.
It seemed like a pretty user friendly pill - Supposed to taste like a dried Liver treat and should be easy to administer ...except that Meeko didn't like it at all.
The Bolus Solution!
So, I crushed it up in a pill-crusher then added a little water and made it into a soft bolus which I could then easily 'hide' small bits of it in a little bit of food.
This worked pretty well, as long as it was a food Meeko liked, and as long as he couldn't still 'smell' it - which he almost always could, & would still 'reject' it. Oh well... :)
Bolus Storage:
I kept the medicine 'bolus' in a little plastic pill pack with dividers in the fridge for convenience & easy storage.
After this, I then made a bolus with all of his other more bulky medications too, but that's a story for the next Blog Post...
(See: Pt.1, Pt.2, Pt.3, Pt.4, Pt.5, Pt.6, Pt.7, Pt.8, Pt.9, Pt.10)