Maybe someone else has a dog who has emphysema? My vet just diagnosed her with it. What is it and how did she get it? What is the vet's course of treatment? I'd like to know what I'm in for financially, also I'm hoping I can self treat it or make arrangements to afford it. She's a shep mix 11 years old. I noticed her hanging her head down and falling back on our much-loved walks. He listened to her lungs and found emphysema. Has anyone been through this with their dog? Thanks in advance.

-- MicheleRaePadgett (michelesmelodyfarm@yahoo.com), March 11, 2002

Answers

Try either giving her mullein in the form of a tea (strain to remove any of the little fuzzy hairs that might irritate her stomach) or shredded up in her foo. You could also put it in a humidifier and keep it on overnigh in a room with her that can be closed up. Mullein is a bronchial dilator, and will help to open up her breathing "tubes" a little. Don't know how much it will help. Many animals eat it in the wild, it's pretty tame (start her out slowly, though, jsut to ensure no allergic reaction, of course.) Keep her well hydrated to thin mucus as well.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), March 11, 2002.

Michelle, I lost a poodle mix to a condition that could mymic the one your vet diagnosed. My dog was about the same age when she began to struggle for breath and I took her to the vet and she said that poodles were particularly prone to this condition..her wimd pipe was becoming soft and starting to collapse so that any time she got excited or "over" exercised she sounded like she was a person having an attack that requires an inhaler...there was no treatment or cure..It got so bad that she used to sit there white-eyed and struggling to breathe..in mercy I put her down. I hope your dogs condition is treatable, but should it not respond to treatment explore this possibility.

-- Bee White (bee@hereintown.net), March 11, 2002.

Michele

Soooooooo sorry to hear your dog has been diagnosed with this. A few years ago, we lost a very sweet female Lab to it. She was apx 9 or 10 y/o. She had been seeing a vet on a regular check up basis, shots and all, and had been plaqued for many years with a chronic ear infection. As the years went by, she developed a wheez, but the vet never made any comments about it. She got to the point where going outside to do her "duty" was a major strain. And every night when our son came home from work, in her excitment, she would become totally winded. On one of her visits to the vet to be treated for a ear infection, the vet announced to our son that she had the deisease and was in the very last stages of it! What a total shock that was!!!!!

The vet did give meds that were to help ease her breathing and open up the passages some, but I'm sorry to say I do not recall what it was. She was to be kept as quiet as possible, no walks. Only let out to "go" and then right back into the house. She was such a trooper! However, 2 weeks later, at 2 am in the morning, I happened to be still up. (I rarely am. I am SO grateful that I was because what followed would have been something she would have gone thru the entire night doing - alone - by herself - til one of us got up and found her in so much trouble!) I watched her suddenly sit up from a sound sleep, turn to look at me, then almost immediately proceeded to go into a very violent convulsion. I tried to give her as much comfort as I could. She came out of it and seemed to relax. 5 minutes later she went into another one. What really upset me was while she was in the throws of the convulson her eyes seemed to be "clear" as I held her head in my lap and gave words of comfort. She seemed to be aware that I was there working with her. I went and got hubby up as soon as her second one eased off. She proceeded to go into a convulsion evey 5 minutes, like clock work. It was taking sooooooooo much out of her! I was cursing out the vet BIG TIME cause NEVER once did he tell us this would/could happen, nor what to do if it did! She was suffering big time and it was so unfair to her because she had been such a loving faithful pet.

Our son called 2 vets. The first one he got "Leave a message and we will call you back in the morning". The second vet said to bring her in at 7 am. Well DANG! It was 3 am in the morning!!! And she was in big trouble!

We made the only decision we could. Our son, to whom she belonged too, wrapped her up in the blanket, picked up his gun, and took her outside. To this day, none of us are able to discuss that night. If the vet had only TOLD us wat was coming for her, we would have had her put down with dignity before she had to suffer so terribly and her last hour on earth be so filled with panic.

I know this probably wasn't anything you wanted to hear/know, but if by my telling you of our experience helps you in any way to know when to do "the right thing", then my relating a very sad day in our lives was worth it.

-- dottie - in E Shore MD (mother-ducker@webtv.net), March 12, 2002.

I have not yet met a vet with a crystal ball that makes them able to forsee how a particular disease in an individual animal is going to "pan out". In my country it is that law that we must provide 24 hour emergency care.

-- Cowvet (cowvet_nz@hotmail.com), March 12, 2002.

Please read the information contained in the Book "Natural Health for Dogs and Cats" by Dr. Pitcarin

Also, this web site can help with info.

http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/altvetmedgeneral/

-- BC (katnip364@aol.com), March 13, 2002.

I like Soni's idea about mullein. Helped my husband when he was down with double pneumonia, was also diagnosed with COPD. He would carry his quart jar of mullein tea with him. Took away the pain, helped him to breathe. It is also slightly narcotic. A real soother.

-- HV (veggie@ourplace.com), March 13, 2002.