07/15/2023
July 15, 2023 Update on Bent:
It’s been about two and a half months since Bentley received his diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy and CHF. Friday, we went back to the vet to follow up on the progression and see how the medication (specifically the diuretic) was working. Again, he received X-rays and other tests as he has been. Thankfully, the vet said that his blood pressure looked good and his lungs sounded okay- there was no crackling or sounds of destress. While this is a HUGE positive, unfortunately, the fluid in his body has increased greatly. His heart has also started to round even more, especially on the left side. Thankfully, we do not see any “clinical signs” of the heart failure yet such as trouble breathing, loss of appetite, extreme fatigue, etc. He seems to be okay and his normal self which we are so thankful for. However, the vet says that usually the diuretic would clear up the excess fluid quickly, and it has gotten much worse…hasn’t even helped.. Bentley was taking the Lasix (diuretic) once a day, but now he is taking it at morning and night. He seems to be doing well, he just has to p*e a lot throughout the day & night and is constantly thirsty. He has decreased in his panting compared to a couple months ago, so hopefully this means his Vetmedin (heart medication) is helping the heart pump blood better. Overall, he seems to be doing well on the outside, the x-rays just show differently for the inside. We are very thankful that there is no obvious signs of any type of suffering and he seems to be his normal self despite the fluid build up.
So what are the next steps? Bentley received an ECG last Friday after we noticed the fluid build up has progressed that fast even after a diuretic. The vet wants to investigate more and see if something else is causing the fluid issue and maybe give us a little more of a prognosis. We have been referred to a great internal medicine clinic who specializes in this kind of work. They want a deeper look at the structure and work of Bentley’s heart, so, we will travel to Jacksonville for them to conduct an echocardiogram on his heart this Monday. This will give them more insight on how his heart is pumping, the muscle thickness, etc. It may give us answers and an alternative treatment/prolonging plan.
I will update as soon as we visit the cardiologist and get results back from the echo. We have an excellent veterinarian and he has been very informative, supportive, and honest with us throughout this entire process. We are very thankful for that.
We have been given unwanted news each time we go to Bentley’s follow up appointments even though we always remain hopeful that it’s going to be good news, but today and everyday I am thankful that he is still his normal self despite what the x-rays show us. Bentley has truly been the BEST boy through all of our vet visits, x-rays, taking multiple pills every day, etc. and he is still living his best life through it all💙 You wouldn’t even know anything was wrong. Most of all, this journey has made us realize that no matter what happens, we will love him just as much as we always have and make sure he lives the best life possible.
Please continue to pray that he continues to do well and that no clinical signs appear for a very long time. Please continue to support his health and our new adventures to the specialist by purchasing our treats. Every single purchase goes toward his vet bills. Please pray for safe travels back and forth from Jacksonville and hopefully positive news.
As always, we are so blessed and thankful for every purchase, like, comment, share, prayer, or just interaction. Y’all are the best!! I’ll post another update whenever I have one. As for now, I’ll still be fulfilling orders. ❤️ bentsbarkery.com
