5 yaer old lab, enlarged heart

[kenzmad]

My Chocolate Lab has been diagnosed with an enlarged heart. he has been hacking up phlegm and it seems to be getting worse. my question is this. Is this a genetic thing that his breeder needs to know about or is it just something he aquired? I do know that labs are more susceptable to this than some breeds.

[luvtohnt]

Is there an underlying condition? I know in humans (my dad) that COPD and emphysema caused his heart to enlarge. Once he had a lung transplant and both diseases were gone his heart is back to normal size. Maybe a slight case of pneumonia or some breathing problem could have caused this? I would think that hunting dogs in fall and winter would definitely have a problem with some lung issues.

Brandon

[kenzmad]

Is there an underlying condition? I know in humans (my dad) that COPD and emphysema caused his heart to enlarge. Once he had a lung transplant and both diseases were gone his heart is back to normal size. Maybe a slight case of pneumonia or some breathing problem could have caused this? I would think that hunting dogs in fall and winter would definitely have a problem with some lung issues.

Brandon

no underlying condition that the vet could find. He doesn't hunt. Just a family dog. headed back to the vet tomorrow.

[buckhorn2]

Hope things turn out good at the vets a hunting dog or family dog they still steal your heart.

[wildweeds]

My dad had a golden retriever pet dog that had the enlarged heart....................Do yourself a huge favor,get your vet to write a prescription for the meds and buy them at costco................Its the exact same meds used for human condition.His golden lived about 3 years with that and seems I recall she was about 5 or so when it manifested itself a problem.

[kenzmad]

turns out his coughing has to do with a respiritory infection. still has the heart issue but it isn't causing any issues for now. should the breeded be contacted about this?

[Fowlweather25]

I would contact them just to see if any of the other dogs have had this problem. Like you said it is very common in labs

[mossy8352]

Hope he heals up and gets well hate to see them sick.

[bearpaw]

I had a treeing walker hound that started falling out of chases for short periods of time, then I would hear him going again for a half hour or so and then silent again for 15-30 minutes. I finally found him laying passed out on the ground one day, packed him out and took him to the vet. He was diagnosed with an enlarged heart, they said he was likely running until he passed out from a lack of blood flow then waking back up and going again.

He was like a new dog after I started medicating him. I gave him the medication daily when I fed and he did fine chasing bear, cougar, and bobcat for more than a year until another unrelated event took his life. Had that not happened, I think he would have been fine for at least another couple years.

Good luck, a good dog is just like a family member.