From:
julie_fossa@yahoo.com
Date: 2006-09-12 03:32:17 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] RE: Heart problems - Furosemide dosing
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Trish, I have a 6 year old male that has heart problems. In January '06, h=
e would actually exhale water droplets. He was started on 0.2 ml of the 10=
mg/mL furosemide. He rapidly declined and his dose was increased by 0.1 o=
t 0.2 mL increments and also increased to additional times each day (trigge=
red by coughing spells) until we were able to stabilize him. He continued =
to decline and his dose had to be adjusted weekly or less until he leveled =
off at a very high dose of 1.6 mL of the 10 mg/mL furosemide. While this i=
s a shockingly high dose, he is thriving on it. No dehydration, eats well,=
eliminates well, plays and is alert.
Here is the address to a site that helped us dose Valentine
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_furosemide.html
Basically, this is a veterinary site which gives some very important inform=
ation about this med. Furosemide increases urine production, and is common=
ly used in kidney failure to stimulate the kidneys to produce urine and in =
congestive heart failure (cardiomyopathy).
Quoting on cardiomyopathy:
By definition, congestive heart failure involves fluid congestion or accumu=
lation somewhere where there should not be excess fluids. This is usually i=
n the belly or chest cavity or actually within the lung tissue (=93pulmonar=
y edema=94). Furosemide causes an increase in urine production thus shifti=
ng the equilibrium away from the accumulation of fluid in tissue. Injectabl=
e furosemide is needed during acute heart failure crisis but oral is genera=
lly adequate for continued management after stabilization. =
End quote.
Side effects are increased thirst and urination. It can also increase bloo=
d glucose levels, so that could be a problem if your ferret was also diabet=
ic. Hearing loss has been seen with high doses of injectable furosemide in=
cats.
Urination usually occurs in 30 minutes with oral dosing, and peaks in 1-2 h=
ours. It may be more effective to give additional doses in a crisis or to =
divide the daily dosing mg into a mid-day dose. (I usually give an extra d=
ose only when needed then go back to regular dosing. If problem recurrs, i=
ncrease the daily milligrams given)
It is important that you go to the website and note the critical interactio=
ns between furosemide and Enalapril should your vet decide to use a vasodil=
ator.
The drug interactions also address the use of Theophylline. Be sure to che=
ck this.
Precautions include making sure fresh clean water is available at all times=
, monitor for weakness or lethargy, and possibly calcium oxalate bladder st=
ones if there is already a history of it.
To quote:
It is extremely difficult to overdose with this medication. Toxic doses rep=
orted are over 100 times a typical oral dose of medication. It is important=
to realize that in the treatment of heart failure (this drug=92s primary u=
se), a crisis can arise at any time. Often giving an extra dose of oral med=
ication can be a life saving procedure. Be sure you understand what signs y=
ou are to watch for to determine if an extra dose or two should be administ=
ered and when you should definitely rush to the vet=92s office.
End quote.
I suspect some of Chocolate's extra weight could be fluids in the abdomen o=
r other tissues. Increasing his dose might help his energy level. (Ernest=
ine has no trouble breathing but gets a huge belly with out her furosemide;=
she has a murmur)
Valentine is on Pet Tinic, now called Pet Tabs, available through Jeffers C=
atalog, to replenish any vitamins flushed from his system, hidden with his =
meds in his chicken gravy twice a day. He also has low blood sugar so is g=
etting 0.2 ml of the 5mg/5ml prednisilone. (and a Ferretonin implant) Adj=
usting the meds when he is a little 'off' has provided him with many months=
of quality life.
Good luck with Little Chocolate.
Julie =
Author wrote:
> I have a six year old 3 lb. insulinomic male that has been recently diagn=
osed with heart disease. ... He was still having problems with shallow, ra=
pid breathing and was prescribed (two weeks ago) 1cc of Theolate (Theophyll=
ine) to help him breath easier. Enacard was discussed at that time but his=
lungs were staying clear with the Lasix so my vet decided to wait. > He is=
now started to breathe very rapidly and shallow. I upped his Lasix to .35=
but it isn't helping.> Trish
=
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