Collie, enlarged heart...
Discussion
Not one of mine (thankfully) but a really good friend of mine has a mutt (Bailey an 11-year-old Collie cross, tall, skinny dog) who is poorly... Now, this dog is, not just a dog, he is Chester's one and only friend in the entire world - he dashes in and kisses him and then dashes away before Chester's thick brain registers the fact, by the time Chester is grumbling, Bailey is already well away 
I am also very fond of the soppy big sod and his Dad is in absolute 'bits' at this news.
Apparently he has an enlarged heart and tumours around it? Going to Wellington on Thursday for scans etc. But I am asking here what the prognosis is? I do tend to think vets (sorry 'TheVet and Bex etc) give worse case scenarios, sometimes to pry more dough out of our pockets that could be better spent on Jumbones and other treats.
Please give me some good news that I can pass on.
Thank you all
I am also very fond of the soppy big sod and his Dad is in absolute 'bits' at this news.Apparently he has an enlarged heart and tumours around it? Going to Wellington on Thursday for scans etc. But I am asking here what the prognosis is? I do tend to think vets (sorry 'TheVet and Bex etc) give worse case scenarios, sometimes to pry more dough out of our pockets that could be better spent on Jumbones and other treats.
Please give me some good news that I can pass on.
Thank you all
I'm sorry, but I can only offer a sad response.
Many many years ago, my old GSD cross Seb started to slow down on walks, he was around the same age, and at first I put it down to just his age, but in the end he couldn't walk 100 yards without being completely knackered. The vet diagnosed a heart tumour and the fluid produced by the tumour was filling his lungs up, so he was effectively drowning. He went to a specialist and they drained his lungs, and when I collected him the following day he was like a puppy again, so full of beans. Unfortunately within a few weeks he was back to how he had been, there was nothing else that could be done for him and so we said goodbye
Many many years ago, my old GSD cross Seb started to slow down on walks, he was around the same age, and at first I put it down to just his age, but in the end he couldn't walk 100 yards without being completely knackered. The vet diagnosed a heart tumour and the fluid produced by the tumour was filling his lungs up, so he was effectively drowning. He went to a specialist and they drained his lungs, and when I collected him the following day he was like a puppy again, so full of beans. Unfortunately within a few weeks he was back to how he had been, there was nothing else that could be done for him and so we said goodbye
loquacious said:
He's just back from Wellington, initial vets diagnosis hopelessly wrong. Seems he has cardiomyopathy and a tired heart (?) so at least I assume that's a bit better? No sign of any tumours or enlargement.
Not hopelessly wrong tbh! That is a bit unfair.And the reason why further testing (ie heart scan) was done.
Cardiomyopathy is serious (usually called dilated cardiomyopathy) and his heart will usually be enlarged because of it so bit surprised the scan has said it isn't enlarged (doesn't quite tally) it will get worse but can be slowed down with medication, careful exercising and good diet but obviously it was not tumours they were seeing (I assume via xray initially)which is good but poss thickened and diseased heart muscle?
Hearing results second hand can be misleading and some of the info here is a bit confusing.
Sorry Bex, didn't mean to impune you in any way, and yes, I guess some of the information is second hand to me so... Still, a lot better than the initial diagnosis. Vets are not my favourite people right now (see the other thread for why) so I suppose I'm just reacting to yet more Torbay vet stuff a bit.
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