Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Amelia gets a heart

Corbin here to tell you about my Amelia.
 
 
The momma took over the blog last week to tell you how our family is fighting not to keep Amelia forever.  She also mentioned that Amelia was going to see my Dr. Mike for a urinary issue.  Amelia "leaks" urine once in a while, and the momma wanted to get it checked out.  She also wanted my Dr. Mike to meet Amelia.  Well, Dr. Mike loved her -who wouldn't?!  He gave her a medication to clear up a bladder infection and another medication to help with the leaks.  Dr. Mike also gave Amelia a general exam.
 
 
Dr. Mike heard a very, very loud murmur in Amelia's heart.  She was quite nervous being at the vets office, but the momma could see on Dr. Mike's face that this was a concern.  Her little heart was practically beating out of her chest, and Dr. Mike wanted to do some further testing, since he couldn't really put his finger on it from just listening.  So, the momma made an appointment with the cardiologist this past Monday for a heart ultrasound.
 
 
When Monday morning came, I ate my breakfast in my frozen Kong to keep me from missing Amelia, and off she went in the car.  She pancakes at the vets office, so the momma has to carry her in.  Everyone there always gets a kick out of the momma carrying a 50lb pit bull around.  Dr. Farrell, the cardiologist, really liked Amelia.  He took her for the day and told the momma he would call when the ultrasound was over and he had the results to discuss with her.  The momma left and Amelia was carried around by the vet techs -hehe.
 
 
Around 12:30pm, the momma received a phone call, but it wasn't from Dr. Farrell, instead it was from someone else at the vets asking if 5pm was an okay time for the momma to meet with Dr. Farrell and go over the results.  The momma knew this wasn't good and wasn't quite sure how she was going to make it until 5pm without exploding.
 
 
So, at 5pm, the momma waited at the vets for Dr. Farrell to come in.  While she was waiting, she found out that the Corbin's favorite vet tech is leaving and Monday was her last day!  I was very upset about this when the momma told me.  You see, Jamie, my favorite vet tech, stays with me and comforts me when I have to stay at the vets for the day for testing.  I really love her and I don't mind leaving the momma to go with her.  So, I guess I'm going to have to find a new girlfriend for my testing day vet visits.
 
 
Okay, back to Amelia.  Dr. Farrell came in and chatted with the momma.  He showed her diagrams and explained exactly what was wrong with Amelia's heart.  She has Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.  That means, the walls of her heart have become thickened, which makes it difficult for her little heart to pump the blood through.  He said it was a good thing we caught it now, because we're still able to contain it.  Had we waited about 6 months or so to catch this, Amelia's little heart could have just stopped beating one day.  Amelia started on her new bata blocker heart medications.  The bata blockers should help slow her heart down.  A dog her size and in as good of shape as she is, should have a heart rate of 80 beats per minute.  Little Amelia's heart rate was 160 beats per minute.
 
 
So, Amelia gets a heart.  Next to Amelia's beautiful face on Petfinder, you'll find a little green heart, indicating Amelia has special needs.  She'll need to be on bata blockers for the rest of her life -which only cost $6 a month, so that's good.  She'll also need a follow up heart ultrasound in 6 months to make sure the medication is working and the heart disease isn't progressing.  If the medication is working correctly and we keep Amelia fit and stable at a healthy weight, she should be able to live out her entire life with no real adverse problems stemming from her heart disease.  We hope people won't see this as a negative and dismiss her from their adoption prospects. 

25 comments:

  1. We knew Amelia had a big happy heart but one that beats so fast is not such a good thing. She is such a sweetie and she doesn't deserve to have this on top of what she has already been through as a puppy. Thank goodness you flung it in time though.

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  2. I am still stuck on mom carrying the pancake dog around the vet's office. Lucky your mom is strong, right?

    Kisses,
    Dexter

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  3. Amelia is very much lucky that your mom knew that she needed to have these thingys checked out.

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  4. I can't help but think this might be another sign that Amelia is where she needs to be.

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  5. Happy SMILE of Amelia. She is strong and we know she'll be fine and will find her forever home. Sending Lots of Golden LOVE. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

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  6. We will have our paws crossed for Miss Amelia so that her heart gets better!

    Sam and Pippen

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  7. We're still hoping Amelia gets to be your furever sister, Corbin...just sayin'...

    -Bart, Ruby and Otto

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  8. All the more reason for you guys to keep her... just sayin'. ;)

    Emily @ Our Waldo Bungie
    www.ourwaldobungie.com

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  9. We are so happy Amelia will be ok. And kudos to the docs for the treatment
    Benny & Lily

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  10. I am so glad you were able to catch it. Keep that happy heart beating!

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  11. I wonder if that is why Corbin immediately took to her - he just knew she had similar special issues!

    Good job on being proactive and catching that in the early stages. I wonder if it took this long for her to find a home so you would notice this and take her to the vet. Someone else may not have. I'm not saying that means you should keep her - but it is very cool how this worked out.

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  12. Okay, so she's still on petfinder? I think this is a sign she needs to stay with you. I can't imagine Amelia being happy anywhere else.

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  13. I'm glad that this was caught now rather than later and there is a treatment plan for Amelia. She's a lucky girl to have you and her foster mama... maybe even forever mama?

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  14. Sometimes you just has to listen to what the universe is telling you... and I thinks the universe put Amelia with The Corbin so that the momma could takes good care of her, like forever.

    I'm just saying...

    Not that the opinion of one chubby little dog means all that much in the grand scheme of things...

    But then again....

    :) Miss Fendi HoneyBuzz

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  15. Boy, the momma must have been so relieved and happy with that report. Sounds like Amelia has a bright future ahead. She's so cute and sweet!

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  16. Wow, Amelia's lucky she met Dr. Mike! I'm glad it's something you're able to control so easily -- and it's no real surprise to anyone that our sweet Amelia has a BIG HEART!

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  17. You know, you've saved her life twice now!

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  18. I think it was fate that brought Miss Amelia to you! She knew you'd take excellent care of her.

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  19. That leakage problem turned out to be a blessing. Hope you took some pictures of that vicious pitbull at the vets for advertising purposes!

    We're sorry your favourite tech is leaving. But, Corbin, we know you'll have the next wrapped around your paw in no time.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

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  20. Thank goodness her illness is treatable (and so affordable, too!) and was caught before it became critical.

    Amelia has the most lovely smile and such pretty eyes! Her smile (and the colour of her eyes, nose & furs) looks so much like my English pointer Foxtrot! It's funny, people have asked if he's part pit bull because he has a huge head but nope he's a purebred dude (rescued from a shelter, too!).

    The link below is a photo of him with his brother Gatsby and sister Lola Lulu. He's the smiley guy in the middle!

    What is Amelia's coat colour called? For pointers that colour is lemon and white. :)

    http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9GgwoBOSXh4/UctJ2gTJEZI/AAAAAAAAAz0/rBLPkGbfHgc/s1600/IMG_2269.JPG

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  21. That dear sweet girl - we hope the meds will help make her heart beat better. All paws crossed.

    Woos - Phantom, Thunder, Ciara, and Lightning

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  22. She's a pretty girl. Keep her if your heart tells you so.

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  23. I am so happy that you found this out and it can be fixed. That is the best part, Amelia will be fine!!


    Loveys Sasha

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  24. Oh my pal...I iz very sorree to hear bout Ameelia's eart ishyoos...as you kno I ad a few of dem myselfs....i send wuzzes for her and wish you all luck wiv dat....and I whisper that my cardiganologist just tell me that he be movin to the US of A in September...he is VERY GOOD...but he will be i Philly I fink

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  25. I'm so glad that you caught it. You are such a good foster for Amelia, and I can tell that she has a really big and warm heart.

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