No experience with horses, but dogs on Lasix tolerate it really well. It’s quite cheap. It removes the excess fluid from everywhere. She is having trouble breathing because that swelling you are seeing on her chest etc is also in her lungs. She will breathe easier with that fluid cleared away.
How much improvement this buys you and for how long is unpredictable. It depends how fast her heart failure is progressing.
Only you know how much uncertainty you can take, but if you are game it’s worth a try. The response can be dramatic.
I’m game for now, mood is changing to “Challenge Accepted” haha. Our finding and for sure diagnosing it is all thanks to you!!! Doing the jugular trick is what solidified our opinion that it is for sure her heart!
Did the vet express any risks with clots from the CHF? I had a cat with CHF and along with the Lasix, and beta blocker, he as also prescribed a blood thinner for clots since he was more likely to throw a significant clot. I don’t know if there is a drug for that for horses or if the cost would be worth it at this point, but it at least might be worth knowing what to watch out for if clots are a risk.
Isn’t alfalfa a diuretic?
Just trying to think of other ways to get that accumulated fluid to move on out.
I’m assuming lasix would be started low and titrated up to find a sweet spot where she’s dumping fluid but not dehydrating.
She is still only eating alfalfa besides her grazing. As much Alf hay as she wants, and her morning and evening “soup” of Alf/Tim blend pellets. The first day I had gone feed shopping for her, TSC was out of pure Alf, so that is what she started with and I’ve kept the same thing going. She does eat and drink pretty good as of now, about to head home for lunch to see how she’s doing :)!
With all you’ve already done for her, you say that whenever you feel it’s time. I waited way too long with one beloved pony, and I will never do that to another animal. It is such an individual decision. Anyone who second guesses you on this is just wrong.
This. Lasix can be a wonder drug but how long it is effective is dependent on each case. I also think it’s worth trying. It was the first drug I thought of when you mentioned fluid retention and heart issues.
Love This. I waited too long with my mare as well I had her almost 30 years and I just could not stomach saying goodbye until I pretty much had no other choice. I don’t ever want to put another animal through that.
Hahahahahaha… yes, the pony I talk about “Spirit” is his name, is my little no peepee darling! He makes up for it in attitude, his confidence knows no boundaries lol. He is actually currently on Uniprim since he started getting kinda crusty n a little swollen around his sheath. This was back in 09, me and his mom, my heart horse Katerbug. I want to say he was maybe a couple months old by then. I’m barely 5’4 and crouched almost down to the ground… back then my knees didn’t crack when I stood up either!!
Agreed! My corgi with CHF was on Lasix for nearly two years and it was like having a new (elderly ) dog! It was actually cancer that ended up killing him, not the heart failure.
Whatever you decide, know that you’ve done right by her when no one else would, and don’t second-guess yourself.
We all hope for these stories to have miracle endings and pictures of fat, sleek horses 6 months later, but the reality is that this mare is a very old lady and all you can possibly do is buy her a bit of time and give her a peaceful passing.
You’ve gone above and beyond for her already, and your daughter has undoubtedly absorbed some life lessons from the experience–even if that lesson is that the whole deal is not for her.
I’m guessing many of us have regrets about dragging a situation out longer than we really should. You are there with the mare and will be able to gauge when it’s time and truly, yes, you should take into account how much you can deal with emotionally and financially. You’ve already done so much for her that you should feel completely guilt free whatever decision you make.
Ty, if she was younger I would honestly probably feel better about sinking more cash into her, but at her age it’s like throwing $100 bills in a wishing well and expecting that wish to come true.
I am meeting up with the vet after work. I love that I can just do that and not pay a farm call fee just to get medicine😃. She will get her first poke this evening and then I will cross everything I can!
As you can see I have a soft spot for chesnutty mares!
That’s always such a hard decision to make. What concerns me (and someone correct me if I’m wrong) is that the CHF and edema seem to have gone from 0-60 pretty quickly?
You can certainly try the Lasix, but no one here is going to ever doubt you or condemn you for letting her go when you feel the time is right. You gave her a soft spot when no one else would, and you’ve tried your heart out for her. She’s still eating and enjoying life, so try the Lasix and see what happens.
But one thing to keep in mind is that if the Lasix doesn’t work, and her edema grows worse, quickly, she will lay down more often as she gets weaker - and horses aren’t made for that. By laying down, she’ll make it much harder on herself to breathe.
And, as others have said, the Lasix may work for a short time, then no longer work. I lost a cat to CHF in 2020. It felt like only a couple of weeks, but I think it was about 6-7 weeks between first diagnosis and putting her to sleep. It happened so quickly. You may want to consider that for Sweetie, choosing a day when she still feels somewhat good and letting her go might be better than finding her down one day.
) dog! It was actually cancer that ended up killing him, not the heart failure.
