Baron has DCM - Doberman Forum : Doberman Breed Dog Forums

**dax0402** · 03-14-2011, 02:15 PM

I am so devastated. I just don't know what to say. Here are the results:

Mean Heart Rate - 81
High Heart Rate - 200
Low Heart Rate - 48
Total Heart Beats/24 Hours - 110903

There were a total of 989 Ventricular Premature Beats. Of the total, there were 987 singular VPC's and one couplet.

I have an appointment with my regular vet tomorrow. They want a CBC/Chem profile to screen for metabolic problems. His thyroid is normal. He is to be put on Sotolol 80 mg tabs (1/2 tab twice daily a.m. and p.m. for 1 weeks and then increase to a full tab twice daily with a follow up holter 1 month after beginning the medications. Will disucss with my vet recommendations for a cardiologist close to our area (Lehigh Valley, PA). Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Trying to stop crying. DH is in denial and saying maybe we should not have done the tests but I know I did the right thing.

Will write more later.

TucsonDobieOwner · 03-14-2011, 02:23 PM

Lois, you did the right thing! I am terribly sorry to hear the news about Baron's Holter results. At least you know there is problem and can focus on his treatment and enjoying every single day you have with him.

VZ-Doberman · 03-14-2011, 02:25 PM

You know how I feel.......

Keep your emails coming please.

**sam&macksmom** · 03-14-2011, 02:31 PM

Oh Lois....the DT family is here for you. Sending prayers and positive vibes to Baron...

rainddobes · 03-14-2011, 02:48 PM

Lois, I am so sorry for these results.. Getting him on meds will surely lengthen his life.
I just did holters on Jaden and layla over the weekend with Ecco this coming weekend.. I am so frightened they find something wrong..

avianantics · 03-14-2011, 02:56 PM

I am so sorry. We are all here for you.

Malcolm_Deuce · 03-14-2011, 02:56 PM

Sending good vibes your way and hoping for the best!

bubsy · 03-14-2011, 02:56 PM

I'm so sorry, sending good thoughts for your boy.

pdubois64 · 03-14-2011, 03:04 PM

Sorry you had to get bad results.....hoping that the meds get things corrected.

RedFawnRising · 03-14-2011, 03:06 PM

You did the right thing. Wish the results had been different, but you did the right thing.

Hugs and healing vibes to y'all.

GrdnDelite · 03-14-2011, 03:07 PM

I'm so very sorry you have less than stellar results.

workingk9s · 03-14-2011, 03:08 PM

I am so sorry the tests were not great. One bad Holter doesn't necessarily mean he has one paw in the grave though. Positive vibes coming your way that he has another bunch of years with you.

LVdobe · 03-14-2011, 03:12 PM

You did the right thing. Im so sorry i know how you feel. Try to be happy with him. Blade knows when im upset and he gets worried. There so connected to us.

**Fitzmar Dobermans** · 03-14-2011, 03:15 PM

Lois you did the right thing and with medication, Baron may have years of wonderful living in him. There are dogs that have been diagnosed early with Cardio that have lived many years with medication. Don't lose hope!!

Please also remember to let his breeder know - it is so important to know these things for future breeding programs.

Chin up - and give your boy a hug from us!

brw1982 · 03-14-2011, 03:42 PM

Baron and your family are in my thoughts. I'm so sorry for bad holter results.

Thankfully you did holter him though - now you can help him fight it and give him more time.

(((HUGS)))

Luvbirds · 03-14-2011, 03:48 PM

Lois...I am so sorry to hear this, I'm crying with you. I hate DCM. WHY these young dogs??? Medication can and will give him time! There is one dog that I know of from DT that recently passed....at almost 10, he was diagnosed at 2!!! No giving up hope! Petey would already be gone or at the very least in CHF if it wasn't for our Cardiologist's aggressive medication regime. I'm not sure how far you are from him, for me it's a 2 hour drive each way, but well worth it. Doberkim uses him for Rah, and it was with her recommendation that we ended up using him too. His name is Dr. Goodwin, Garden State Veterinary Specialists - A Multi-Discipline Referral Hospital, coordinating all aspects of surgery, medicine and emergency care. he is located in Tinton Falls NJ. You can call him, he will call you back, he is amazing, the best bedside manner I've ever come across in anyone in medicine. Also....you might want to check out the stem cells from UF New study will examine use of gene modified stem cells to aid Dobermans with heart condition Health Science Center News & Communications - University of Florida PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP HOPE.

If you need anything, please pm me, I will give you my phone number and you can call me anytime to talk.

Love,
Carol
ox

dobemagnum · 03-14-2011, 03:53 PM

I am so so so sorry for your horrible news. This is pretty much why my family and I have decided not to do the testing....I just don't want to know in advance. We might change our mind as time goes, but for now we just don't want to know.

My heart and good vibes go out to you <3

**dax0402** · 03-14-2011, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luvbirds

Lois...I am so sorry to hear this, I'm crying with you. I hate DCM. WHY these young dogs??? Medication can and will give him time! There is one dog that I know of from DT that recently passed....at almost 10, he was diagnosed at 2!!! No giving up hope! Petey would already be gone or at the very least in CHF if it wasn't for our Cardiologist's aggressive medication regime. I'm not sure how far you are from him, for me it's a 2 hour drive each way, but well worth it. Doberkim uses him for Rah, and it was with her recommendation that we ended up using him too. His name is Dr. Goodwin, Garden State Veterinary Specialists - A Multi-Discipline Referral Hospital, coordinating all aspects of surgery, medicine and emergency care. he is located in Tinton Falls NJ. You can call him, he will call you back, he is amazing, the best bedside manner I've ever come across in anyone in medicine. Also....you might want to check out the stem cells from UF New study will examine use of gene modified stem cells to aid Dobermans with heart condition Health Science Center News & Communications - University of Florida PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP HOPE.

If you need anything, please pm me, I will give you my phone number and you can call me anytime to talk.

Love,
Carol
ox

Thanks you so much Carol. I won't give up on him. DH just came home from work with a ton of information on DCM that he printed from work (his way of helping). Will do everything we can for him and hopefully we will have him for a long time. Starting to cry again so will pm when I am up to it with some questions. Thanks again.

Luvbirds · 03-14-2011, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dax0402

Thanks you so much Carol. I won't give up on him. DH just came home from work with a ton of information on DCM that he printed from work (his way of helping). Will do everything we can for him and hopefully we will have him for a long time. Starting to cry again so will pm when I am up to it with some questions. Thanks again.

Good guy your DH! Mine always says we should never have tested too. You need to cry a bit, then get down to business and make a game plan. Don't waste precious months like I did being sad...Baron is healthy and here with you now. One day at a time!

ox

caramella · 03-14-2011, 04:04 PM

So sorry you've gotten these results. Prayers sent your way.

I'm going to have Bella done in June.

You did the right thing. You can help him, now.

Andrea · 03-14-2011, 04:11 PM

So sorry to hear that.
Sendig good vibes to you and Baron ♥.

NAA2586 · 03-14-2011, 04:21 PM

So sorry for the terrible news...out of curiosity, what makes his results abnormal?

voodoolizard · 03-14-2011, 04:57 PM

so sorry.. hugs and get him the best help there is and love him to bits.. like you already do and everything will be fine.. hugs xx

mangujowa · 03-14-2011, 05:07 PM

So sorry to hear the news... Hoping that early diagnosis and the meds will keep everything under control! Hugs to Baron.

MaryAndDobes · 03-14-2011, 05:21 PM

I agree with workingk9s. This isn't necessarily the worst news. I don't know how long Baron had the Holter on for exactly, but if for 24 hours it seems Baron was having around 41 vpc's per hour. There ARE other reasons a Doberman might be having vpc's. I know it's scary, but it's not time to panic.

A couple of my stories:

One of my former dogs, Wonder, was having 21 vpc's per hour when he was just under 2 years old. He had another 6 Holters (plus his annual ultrasounds) over the course of the next 6 1/2 years and never had more than 1 vpc per hour in all subesequent Holters. I lost him to lymphoma when he was 8.

My current girl, Rory, had 29 vpc's per hour back in August 2005. All subsequent Holters have been 0 or less than 1 vpc per hour, and she's now just 2 months shy of 12 years old.

For some reason, I've certainly had instances with my dogs where they get a weird, isolated result with a higher number of vpc's than one would usually like, but it didn't turn into anything.

It's good that you Holtered. Just follow up on it as best you can with your vet and cardiologist, but don't get discouraged yet.