Quote:
Originally Posted by growler
I would call the vet to see if you can get him in sooner if possible. During the appointment I would make a point to ask about the condition of his heart ie does he have a murmur or any abnormal sounds etc, as well as the condition of his lungs
Are you in a heartworm prevalent area?
What are you feeding Max? I'm not familiar with diabetes but we do have a member who is, I'll pm her the thread perhaps she'll have some suggestions for better regulating the diabetes.
When did the allergies start and has the vet determined the cause? Seems like an awful lot of meds 
In the meantime since it has been so hot here and will continue to be hot all week - skip the walk.
 let us know how Max is doing |
Thanks for responding to my question.
In answer to your question, we don't live in an area known for heartworm. Max has been back and forth to the vet lately having his insulin level adjusted. It's nothing unusual, just maintenance but he does get a quick once-over. The vet listens to his heart but has never shown any concern.
Max gets two meals a day because he gets insulin twice a day. Insulin has to be taken after food. It's very important that his insulin level is maintained so Max gets food he likes to insure his eating it. We feed him Iams mixed with cooked lean ground beef. His treats are cubes of medium cheddar cheese. (Carb's turn into sugar - so we have to watch for that) His diet has been ok'd by the vet.
Max has a good appetite. He is still a tad underweight. The vet is trying to get him to gain another couple of pounds. Last February he had a bout of pancreatitis that caused ketoacidosis landing him into intensive care for a few days. He lost close to twenty pounds and I lost a little over three thousand dollars. (Diabetes sucks)
I sold my house a couple of months ago and we moved into a condo. I couldn't keep up with the yard work (age, I think
) and Max couldn't handle the stairs anymore (blindness). The move was a good thing for both of us. I think Max likes it here. He's his usual clown self but he sleeps a lot. I think that's because of his age.
The condo is new and the lawn is now getting sod. The vet suspects his allergy was from the manure preparation for the sod. Max's eyes are still a little weepy but the puffiness is gone and I don't think they're itchy anymore. Much of the sod is now in place so it doesn't explain this new wheezing and
ratchet sounding breathing.
I have to take Max out to relieve himself. His huffing and puffing starts almost immediately, just hearing the leash seems to set it off. Since the new, more severe, breathing problem started I'm just taking him to the edge of the property. He doesn't like that, he wants to go for his walk, but I know his breathing will get bad if I take him any further and he'll have to lay down. Frankly, his breathing has concerned me for awhile but this new
ratchet style breathing scares me.
I'm waiting for the clinic to open to try to get an earlier appointment. I have a sense of foreboding about this.
Fingers and toes crossed.
