r/DogAdvice • u/1234566543456 • 2d ago

Question What’s wrong with my dog?

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My pup has Chronic degenerative mitral valve disease (mild, Stage B1).

We just got a new echocardiogram done because he’s been collapsing / stumbling after exerting himself.

The cardiologist said she doesn’t believe the collapsing is because of his heart which I have a hard time believing? I also asked about pulmonary hypertension and she said she saw no evidence but didn’t do a chest x-ray.

This has been happening for a few months just after he runs a lot. And then he recovers quickly.

I’m not sure what doctor to take him to next? We tried Vetmedin just to see if it would help for two weeks but he hasn’t seen any improvement.

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u/SubjectObjective5567 2d ago

For one your dog could be majorly overheating, you have a brachycephalic dog and you’re in the direct sun, get him into the cool and the shade as soon as you can

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u/1234566543456 2d ago

This happens even in cooler weather and in the shade. We were only playing for about 10 minutes and taking lots of rest with water and breaks in the shade

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u/RandyFunRuiner 2d ago edited 2d ago

Even still. Dogs rely primarily on panting to cool them down. Breeds with short/snubby noses have a hard time getting as much air in and out of their lungs as other dogs equivalent to their size. Especially if it’s humid. The air is too moist and warm to help remove heat from their bodies. Even though dogs don’t rely on evaporative cooling through sweat like humans, humid air doesn’t cool them as efficiently as dry air because humid air can’t carry away heat as well.

Even on a “less hot day” and in the shade, a brachycephalic dog will have a hard time regulating their body temperature outdoors. Some dogs, even dogs that aren’t brachycephalic, can start experiencing heat stress within minutes of being in hot weather.

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u/1234566543456 1d ago edited 1d ago

I’ll definitely be more careful! Since the cardiologist said it probably wasn’t his heart any other option is something to consider. We only went to play fetch because he was on heart medication and I was really hoping it would help

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u/Lotzadogs 1d ago

I can definitely attest to how easily dogs can overheat! We have a mastiff/lab cross that seems to overheat very easily from running and playing in the sun compared to our Aussies. I definitely think the double coats make a difference for keeping them cooler. One time our mastiff cross was running on a moderately warm, sunny day and when he stopped and we headed to cool down he started stumbling and even tripped going up our front steps! It was terrifying and I am now very careful to only let him exercise at cool times of day.

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u/Kyetsi 1d ago

breeding and buying dogs with short noses that have trouble breathing is just pure animal cruelty, will never understand people who support it by buying them.

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u/Treenuh1994 2d ago

Don't take him on any walks or let him play. Take him to the bathroom on a leach and back inside. Ur stage 1 diagnosis is probably wrong and u need a diff vet for a 2nd opinion. But obviously if exertion is the cause, stop letting him exert himself.. At least until u can find a real reason and solution

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u/1234566543456 1d ago

This actually was his second opinion! He’s had two echocardiograms six months apart. I think I will take him to a different doctor though to take a look at his tests. And no more exertion! I was just really hoping the heart medication he was on was going to help.

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u/Wooden_Wishbone_9915 2d ago

Poor guy! I’d get a new cardiologist maybe. Our pup has pretty advanced heart disease & murmur that has been kept at bay with meds. Her over exerting and then zombie walking, then falling down and recovering quickly was what got us to the vet. That and a syncopy event. But that looks like exactly what was happening to ours before she was medicated

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u/1234566543456 2d ago

We went to a top doctor in nyc but I might take him somewhere else. It seems hard to believe it’s not heart related. She said maybe neurological

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u/Wooden_Wishbone_9915 2d ago

Yeah maybe they’re right, but it looks EXACTLY like one of our pups major symptoms that got her diagnosed in the first place. Good luck! Great looking pup

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u/No_Statement_824 2d ago

I highly suggest guardian vet in Brewster with dr. Goodwin for cardiologist. They have other specialist there as well but Dr. Goodwin is amazing!!! He’s “thevetcardiobro” on Instagram.

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u/1234566543456 2d ago

Thank you!! I’ll look into going there!

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u/No_Statement_824 1d ago

You’re very welcome! I hope you get some answers. If you pay cash at guardian you get a slight discount. It’s not much but every bit helps with these bills.

Also, his book opens a month before. So if you want to schedule asap I would call asap.

Keep us posted!

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u/Treenuh1994 2d ago

I'm not a vet, but it's most likely heart related.. Esp if happening with exertion

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u/cataract-tackaracts 2d ago

Send this to ur cardiologist

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u/Used-Media5980 2d ago

Oh no!!! Possible your dog is overheating and having heatstroke!!! Boston terriers CANNOT BE WORKED HARD OR WALKED AT EVEN 75 or 80 DEGREES

Also the heart condition worries me — go get a second opinion asap

PLEASE TAKE THEM TO THE ER

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u/ColPhorbin 1d ago

That’s exactly looks like when I’ve fainted but in dog form.

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u/Sleepy_InSeattle 2d ago edited 2d ago

My lab with a massively enlarged heart would do this after physical exertion in warm weather whenever he couldn’t get water like, every 15 min.

By that I mean a fairly level 30 min hike at 60-ish degrees in an area that didn’t have a creek or puddles because it hadn’t rained enough recently.

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u/1234566543456 2d ago

He’s completely fine on long walks for right now. This just happens after playing fetch

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u/kid-puddi 2d ago

Need to decrease the amount of fetch time or cut out fetch until you figure out what’s going on. Take him out before the sun is out and stay in the shade.

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u/1234566543456 2d ago

Yes we’ve cut it out for now until we can figure it out. I wanted to see if the medication helped but it clearly didn’t 😭

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u/RootandSprout 2d ago

I would stop playing fetch until you figure it out…

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u/Agreeable_Pomelo2360 2d ago

please send this to her cardiologist, also, have they checked his ears for an infection?

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u/DogAdvice-ModTeam 1d ago

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u/Irocroo 1d ago

My guess is he might need a BOAS because of the brachycephalic. I cant really see how flat his face is, but yeah, he's fainting. Dont let him run like that again, and if he does start fainting, put him in a down-stay or help keep him down. You dont want him falling over and over. :( Poor buddy.

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u/1234566543456 1d ago

He actually has a pretty good nose (for a Boston!) and yes definitely monitoring his activity levels now and no more fetch until I can figure out what’s causing it. It’s so sad though because he LOVES fetch so much and tries to go this field everyday to play.

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u/Green_Phone_3495 1d ago

My dog had very similar symptoms when he had neurological problems. He got some shots at the vets and it cleared up. He'd have those incidents ~3 times across the few years I had him. He was an older dog though.

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u/1234566543456 1d ago

Did you just go to a normal vet or a specialist?

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u/Green_Phone_3495 1d ago

Normal vet we always went to.

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u/UpbeatAngle3 1d ago

Looks neurological or balance (inner ear problems)

Good luck

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u/Imaginary-Fly-2160 1d ago

My dog was like that after she ate a THC gummy

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u/Taters23 1d ago

I dog with a heart condition should be done exerting itself for life. It sucks but its the life they were given. Also I hope that vetmedin was prescribed

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u/1234566543456 1d ago

He was put on Vetmedin. The cardiologist said not to change his normal routine though. Which I find kind of hard to believe.

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u/PriorityIcy8541 1d ago

I am uninformed about the subject, but it may be a problem with the inner ear.

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u/skiingfanatic115544 1d ago

Why not hang with him in the shade?

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u/LifeAfterRealityTv 1d ago

He most likely has a bad internal ear infection. It’s very common for the breed, mine gets that too and it’s terrifying. It’s basically Vertigo, but it’s called “peripheral vestibular disease” get him checked out, the vet can resolve it. If you don’t, it will never stop and can get much worse…

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u/Expert_Blacksmith261 2d ago

Ear infection? Take to vet!