[Gpdd] [HEALTH] Little Suzy has a heart condition

[Dawnda Stricklen]

Sherry

I have had 4 guinea pigs with conjestive heart failure. 
Most lived years longer on diuretics. Sophie lived six months.
The vet said she had to have been born with the heart defect
to be so bad so young.

Lasix is a good diuretic, but all diuretics can
irritate the bladder. Sabrina was always getting
bladder infections from the irritation. She eventually
started forming stones. We switched her to a
very old diuretic, Diuril. It was used before Lasix
and irritates her bladder less, but it is an every
12-hour drug instead of a 24-hour like Lasix.
I gave the Diuril, as needed. When it was time for a
dose, I would listen to their breathing. If they were
congested, I gave them a dose. If not, I would skip that
dose. That way it irritated the bladder less. The vet
said it was a good idea to give just as needed. 

When Sabrina first got CHF, I couldn't skip any doses.
She was always congested at the next dosage time. I
had to increase the dosage until she wasn't badly
congested by the next dose. Then, her breathing was 
better and I was able to cut back on the dosage. She

was on lasix and diuril for years before she had a heart attack.
The Diuril had to ordered through my pharmacy and mixed. The pharmacist laughed when I told him it was for my guinea pig. I bet he never
laughed at dogs on meds.

Dawnda Stricklen

http://dawndasticklen.tripod.com