Canine Heart Murmur (Conclusion).

I write to finish this article today because yesterday Jack, one of the coolest friends I ever had, is no longer with us in the same way he has been over the last 12 years. He and I had a rocky relationship at first: I downright hated him, and he couldn't care less about me. But I am so happy, and thankful to say that eventually we became as close as brothers.

Lasix and Enalapril were not cures, but they gave us what we needed for Jack: quality extra time. Not much though. We secured his medication on October 7th, give or take a day (my memory on that detail is a little fuzzy), and on November 29th, he left us missing him. At the time, the doctor said the medication would only give him 6 months at most, and they were certainly right on that call.

Lasix was prescribed to rid his lungs of the excess water. The toll they would take was going to be on his kidneys and his liver. Enalapril was going to reduce the size of his heart, and its toll was going to be taken from his liver. Each drug alone would require from him a heavy price; both together meant that this was far from a cure.

The time that passed from the day we got him those meds til today is mostly history, and doesn't really pertain to the point of this article, but I am so thankful for the extra time it bought us. The day after he started his treatment, he perked up and was running around wide-eyed like he was 1 year younger and full of health (trust me, one year younger he was a totally different dog). The cough was gone and Jack was back.

As you can tell this period was short lived, but I have no complaints because the remainder of his life was sweet, and perhaps for another written piece of work. However, I do have advice for anyone looking for these medications. Aside for maybe the first order (if it's an emergency) I would not get your medications directly from the vet. You can get the same medicine for much less money at online pharmacies or at like, a Costco pharmacy. The vets make plenty of money in their other provided services in addition to an already small profit margin from drug prescriptions, so don't worry about any issues with patronage or legitimacy. Attain your drugs from where it's cost effective: that is not the vet.

Events turned south when one day we realized Jack's stomach was abnormally swollen. It was pretty large. One minute was a trim dog, and the next he had a belly. As it was mentioned before, the drugs were going to take a toll on his body, and eventually they did. We took him in to see the doctor for one final checkup. Jack's liver, or his kidneys were failing him, and so all the fluids that would normally be processed through them were backed up in his body. He dealt happily with a big belly for 2 weeks before he finally couldn't lie down and well, that was basically what did him in. The final details of his life will remain private for those of us closest to him, but he was loved by many and passed on more gracefully, and peacefully than I could have dreamed possible.

As a last thread of advice/information, I offer a point of consideration for euthanasia. We knew it was time for final goodbyes when jack was unable to get a good night's sleep, and when his days no longer saw the energy that was the foundation of his personality. Remember that, as their guardian, your pet's comfort is your responsibility. So do your best to keep their well being in mind when deciding on how long to keep them with you, or when to let them go.

I hope these words will be put into a position to help those of us unfortunate enough to be met with a canine heart murmur.

You will be missed buddy, especially by Nico and Mom, but I love you too.
In his passing a part of me dies, but through my life, a part of him will live on.