Gasping, how long for lasix to work?

[Ktina]

Reggie had been acting sluggish for about a week, but I thought maybe he was getting old. I made a vet appointment as soon as I could get in, which was yesterday. Well, he started gasping yesterday a few hours before his vet appointment.

My vet did xrays and couldn't see his heart real well, but saw his lungs were cloudy and there was a lot of air in his stomach and intestines from gasping. Because of his family history (4 sisters, his mother, and 2 brothers all had CHF) and his symptoms my vet thought it would be CHF and put him on Lasix and Baytril. He gave him a shot of Lasix while we were there to make him feel better faster and then that night I gave him another dose.

This morning he is still the same gasping and he is having a hard time keeping his body temperature up. I gave him another dose this morning and tried to give him some water but it's hard for him to drink or eat when doing open mouth breathing.

Does Lasix usually take this long to give relief? Is there anything else I can do for him?

 

[lilspaz68]

Lasix is very fast, as short as 20 mins to show effects. It sounds like something else may be going on. Did your vet try enalapril?

 

[Ktina]

Nope, the Lasix is the first and only thing we have tried so far.

 

[SQ]

He needs to try other heart meds as well, as Lilspaz68 suggested.
The lasix can be given as much as needed so you might give it more frequently, but watch out for dehydration (get the vet to show you how to give SQ fluids and buy the stuff so you can do so).
Call your vet, he needs to get more meds now!

Also if your air is dry, a humidifer might help.

 

[Godmother]

Poor ratty, respiratory distress is an awful thing if it is unrelieved. Sounds like the x-rays are showing lungs in very bad shape? I hate to say this, but if the lasix is providing no relief then it might be kinder to have the ratty pts.

 

[Ktina]

He has been put on enalapril, is this fast working? I gave it to him this afternoon and I just gave him a second dose but I don't notice a change yet.

 

[SQ]

Hopefully he is still on antibiotics and lasix.
He may need lasix more frequently then he is presently getting it.
With his lungs that bad, it could be heart or resp. infection.
Habe you tried various combos of antibiotics?

 

[breakthenight]

*sigh*

Keiran showed no symptoms(though he may have been hiding them like many small animals) of being sick so we did not notice anythign was wrong until he was suddenly lethargic, having trouble with body temperature and gasping for air. Emergency x-rays did not show heart or lungs because of fluid. Suspected CHF. It was the vets opinion at the point where entire xrays are being obscured by fluid and the animal is that uncomfortable the only humane thing to do was PTS. Drugs were not going to lift all the fluid in the lungs and chest cavity, and draining is NOT a good option in rats. I hope this is not the situation in this case, but the discription of the xray, the sudden resp distress :/

Hoping for the best for you.

(Also I was not aware CHF was genetic...I have two of Keiran's biological brothers...)

 

[lilspaz68]

It is sadly very genetic, and becoming more prevalent all the time. 4 of my 7 Wildlings had it

 

[breakthenight]

I guess I will be keeping a very close watch on Gallagher and Eros then :/. Hopefully they do not develop it also.

 

[donnamaz]

Thats so sad! I will pray for them hun!!

 

[Ktina]

Reggie is being put to sleep tonight.

 

[mamarat]

I'm so sorry. :hugs:

 

[SQ]

I am so sorry.

Please make sure it is done humanely, many vets don't know the proper way to do it.
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