From:
Erin Simkins
Date: 2001-09-09 22:06:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Lasix/heart/potassium levels
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., Guszak@a... wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I haven't had the need to address this group tho' I've been reading
for a
> long time. Now I have a question.
>
> My Zak, age 6 1/2, was recently diagnosed with congestive heart
problems.
> He's currently taking .15ccs of lasix twice a day along with 1/2
tab daily of
> Enacard. So far, so good.
>
> Now for my question. I, myself, take BP meds which include a
diuretic. A
> couple of years ago, I wound up in the Cardiac Unit with a wildly
irratic
> heartbeat. Turned out my body was way low on potassium as a result
of the
> diuretics I take every day. To avoid that occurence again, I now
take a
> potassium tab (more like a horse pill! LOL) every other day.
Hi Barb,
Sorry to hear that Zak was diagnosed with heart problems. :( When
my boy was diagnosed with dilative cardiomyopathy, he was all out of
whack. He was placed on 0.05 ml of lasix twice a day and 1/2 tablet
of Enalapril (aka Enacard) once a day. My vet also put him on 1/4
tablet of florinef )0.1 mg) once a day to help maintain his
electrolyte balance. Now, I'm not sure if that is because he has had
both adrenals removed already (though his sodium/potassium ratio were
fine prior to his crash). I was under the impression that it was
because he wanted to make sure Tigger's potassium did not drop
dangerously low.
I'm not sure if that helped you or not, but perhaps it's an option to
discuss with your vet. Best wishes to you both.
Sincerely,
Erin Simkins
Education Director
American Ferret Association
www.ferret.org