An Update On Rocky

Thursday, February 12, 2015



So as you read in this post, Rocky had a rough time lately.  

Our original appointment was to be Monday the 16th with a Cardiologist.  This past Monday, Pixie developed a cough out of nowhere, so I took her up to my vet and I also brought Rocky with me so I could update her about him.  Man, am I glad I did that.  Pixie just had a cold, so that was easy but then she looked at Rocky.   I told her I had an appointment next Monday and her eyes got huge.  She said that was way too long to wait, since we really have no idea how serious his condition is until then, and honestly, we could lose him before then.  She told me she could get me into see someone who specialist in Echocardiograms and heart stuff and I could see him Wednesday.   I took the appointment.



We brought Dino along.... you know... the toy he's obsessed with from this post.

I took off work on Wednesday and was literally worried sick up until we got there.   I was so afraid something could happen to him before then.  Once there, Rocky was not a happy camper once he got shaved a bit and had some jelly on him.   He retreated to his carrier immediately and pouted!


I was shocked to learn that his heart murmur was only a 3/6 rather than the dramatic 6/6 the Emergency Vet gave us.    Phew!!!  After the Echo scans, I left so confused as I couldn't understand half of the words he said. I cried the whole way home.  I still didn't understand the damn diagnosis because a million words were thrown at me.   When I got home I left a message for my regular vet.  I was in the middle of sobbing, thinking that Rocky had a few months left to live, when she called me back.   She had the paperwork already from the doctor we had just seen.  So I asked her to read everything to me and explain it to me in the way she always does.   (I seriously love her!)  Rocky was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Endocardiosis.  Basically, the left side of his heart is enlarged and the walls are thicker and it makes it difficult to get the blood to his Aortic Chamber.   The doctor is putting him on Enalapril.  Dogs with this issue can live for many years with pills.  Many of my friends have dogs that lived for 4-6 more years! It's not as serious as what we originally thought it was (Cardiomyopathy).   I am SO SO SO RELIEVED!!!!!!!!!!  

The shock of everything has worn off and life is getting back to normal.  Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes!!!







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6 comments:

  1. so happy to hear it not as bad as what the thought. I hope you puppy's feel better soon.

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  2. I was so happy to hear this when I read it on Facebook. It's so confusing when vets or even doctors tell you that you or your dog has something wrong with them and then they just use big words and don't really explain it. Hello, we didn't all go to school to become a Doctor or Veterinarian! And then I usually never ask questions when I'm there but during the car ride home and when I get home, of course a billion questions pop up.

    I remember when I took Gemma for her first vet appointment after I had adopted her and they told me they wanted to check her for heartworms because the original shelter she was in was known for carrying diseases and heartworms and stuff. When she told me Gemma had heartworms, she must have thought I was dumb or something because it literally went in one ear and out the other and I was completely fine when she told me what the next step was. When I got home and thought about it, I was like Holy shit, she has heartworms! She could die. Luckily we caught it in time thought.

    http://dogmomchic.blogspot.com/

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    1. aww im glad u caught it in time and shes alright! but yea i know.... im just glad my regular vet explained stuff to me. I love her!!

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  3. So happy to hear that! What a great Valentine's gift!

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  4. Ohhh Ellen I wish you would email me!!!!!! If you want to, it is cgittleman at mi dot rr dot com. I just came through a HORRIBLE scare with Cody (due to an Emergency Vet), who said he had cancer (HE DOESN'T)....

    I didn't realize when you first posted, that Rocky had seen an Emergency Vet. I found out since Cody's experience, while sometimes Emergency Vets ARE GOOD, they ultimately are in business to MAKE MONEY. Which translates to putting the fear of God into us to get us to spend MORE MONEY FOR TESTS!!!!

    When Cody was at the Emergency Vet (my regular vet was out of town), he made me call him when the Emergency Vet said what tests he needed and told me to get NONE that could be done in their office instead.

    A 3/6 as you said is FINE!! My cat was MUCH higher when he became ill, and even with his being higher than Rocky, he lived another two years! My cat was 16 when he was diagnosed and still lived another two years! He was on meds too (but not that one)

    In the future, NEVER, EVER, EVER listen to the Emergency Vet.........just do whatever care is needed for the MOMENT....(call your vet before agreeing to tests, mine lets me text him).........

    I am here if you need me! So happy about the news!

    ReplyDelete

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