Dog with CHF is bloated, constipated. Should I give a stool softener?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry about Lacey's heart disease and your concerns! I don't think Lacey is currently dying! Bloody diarrhea is a sign of colitis or inflammation of the colon. I would call your Vet Monday and see if they will prescribe a probiotic and metronidazole. You can also ask if blood stool is a side effect of her medications. Start feeding her a bland diet of boiled chicken or hamburger with rice. Feed 1 cup per 20 lbs until 2 day of normal stool. I wish you the best of luck and I hope this eases your mind!

Steroids currently are not contraindicated for dogs with congestive heart failure; although there are claims that if used in cats it can lead to CHF, but even the data so far does not confirm this to be absolutely true for them either. The only concern here would be if it depressed your pets immune system. If the amount of steroids given was < 0.5-1mg/kg BID, then chances are it won't affect your pets immune system or cause immune suppression, but instead will mainly act as an anti-inflammatory on the body. If your pet has a bloated stomach and trouble breathing, then these could be a direct result of your pets congestive heart failure condition, especially if Sheba has both right and left sided heart failure. Right sided heart failure will lead to a congested liver which then causes ascites (fluid build-up in the abdomen that shows up as a bloated abdomen). Left sided heart failure will lead to congestion in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Typically congestive heart failure to this degree is managed by the following: 1) X-rays of the chest and abdomen 2) Removal of fluid in the abdomen (if present) 3) Furosemide- diuretic that helps to pull fluid off the lungs 4) Heart medication- Enalapril + Pimobendan are the standard treatments, but there are others that may be needed if your pet has a detected arrhythmia as well.

I am so sorry that your pet is in heart failure. Fluid build up in the abdomen is not a good sign. She needs to see a veterinarian asap to have the fluid drained from her belly first. Then she can potentially go on an additional medication to help manage her heart disease. I would recommend discussing with your vet about placing her on Vetmedin (Pimobendan) which will help her heart pump more effectively. However if you cannot reasonably have the procedure done to drain the fluid (abdominocentesis) then pain medication can be prescribed by your vet to help make her comfortable until you know its time to let her go. Again I am so sorry that your pet is so very ill and I wish you all the best.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Adrian. I am sorry to hear about all of her recent troubles. I would give her water through a syringe in small frequent amounts. One of the main medications for heart failure is furosemide (lasix). This is a diuretic to pull fluid off the lungs. This medication is life saving, but can cause dehydration and secondary kidney damage. So it is important for her to stay hydrated. Hopefully her attitude and appetite will pick up once the medications are working. Her breathing rate and effort are big indicators if the heart drugs are working. Her respiratory rate should be less than 30 breaths/min when resting if the fluid has resolved. She should also breathe easily and without obvious effort. The diarrhea can be secondary to the heart disease itself or even the stress of illness. Hopefully it will resolve with the new medication. If she is struggling to breathe, isn't eating or drinking well tomorrow and the diarrhea persists, she will need to see her veterinarian again. It is important to carefully monitor her blood work and blood pressure after starting heart medications. I hope this information helps!

Hi and good morning! Thank you for your question. If he has gone 3 days or more with no bowel movement, then I'd bring him into your veterinarian to check him out. He could have a blockage or a neurological issue causing dysfunction of the nerves innervating his colon, a GI tumor or kidney dysfunction causing a dehydrated colon. Keep an eye on him and keep feeding a high fiber diet as you have been. Hope he passes stool soon!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Gabbie. Unfortunately it's illegal for me to say if you can give her this stool softener or not. I simply cannot say it's safe without seeing her in person. Check with her vet and they can advise you if you can give it to her or not. Please do not give it to her without speaking to her, as you could accidentally harm her. Best of luck.

I am very sorry to hear about Gracey. These symptoms are certainly concerning and warrant a visit to Gracey's veterinarian for an examination. We can see constipation in dogs but we don't see it commonly and it usually wouldn't cause enlargement of the abdomen unless it was severe. It is possible she isn't have bowel movements because she hasn't had any intake of food. With a bloated appearance to the stomach we worry about fluid buildup in the belly which can be a result of heart disease, low protein levels (which an be due to kidney or intestinal disease or severe parasitism), bleeding or oozing from a tumor. We can also have enlargement of the belly due to a space occupying mass (such as a tumor). If your dog isn't spayed then another possibility would be a uterine infection (her uterus could be full of pus and causing the bloated look). I would recommend having Gracey seen as soon as possible, if she seems lethargic or has an elevated temperature (over 102.5), has pale gums, or is vomiting then she should be seen tonight at the emergency vet. Some of these conditions can be life threatening if left untreated.