MELANIE BORDNER <[log in to unmask]>  wrote on 3/7/2006, 2:30 AM:
>I do not feel that Theophylline should be the medication used for
>treatment for her cardiomyopathy.  Can anyone help me on this?  As
>horrible as this may sound, I do not have the funds to have another
>ultrasound done.  After talking to her vet, he confirmed all the
>ultrasound would show is how far advanced the heart disease is and it
>wouldn't change the treatment.
 
While theophylline is primarily know as a medication to threat asthma in
humans, it can actually help with some cardiac problems.  I have had it
prescribed several times for ferrets with cardiomyopathy.
 
Currently, I have a 7 year old girl with complete A/V heart node block.
For anyone unfamiliar with this, it is when the electrical signal that
tells the heart to beat can not be transmitted from the top of the heart
(artrial) to the bottom (ventricle.  The lower part of the heart does
have a back up mechanism that will cause it to beat, but at a much slower
rate then the top part.  Mandi (my ferret) has 4 artrial beats before
there is a ventricle beat.
 
The veterinary cardiologist that I was referred to prescribed both
Enacard and theophylline for her.  The theophylline causes the heart
rate to speed up.
 
As an asthma sufferer who used to take theophylline, I can tell you that
speeding up the heart rate is one of the side effects of the drug.
 
One thing you might want to consider with Marcie is adding lasix.  When
the heart is not pumping correctly, there is frequently a build-up of
fluid in the lungs, and lasix can help with that, making breathing
easier.  You would want to have an xray done first, though, to make
sure the lasix was needed.
 
Mandi also takes 1/4 baby aspirin twice a week.  Again, you would want
to check with your vet to see if this was appropriate for Marcie.  The
aspirin thins the blood, making the heart's job easier - it is easier to
pump a thinner liquid.
 
I am not as familiar with cardiac diseases as I am with some other
things, so I don't know what is appropriate for Marcie's specific
problem.  You could ask your vet about the lasix, Enacard, and aspirin,
though.  With my Mandi, they have helped a lot.
--
Danee DeVore
International Ferret Congress Health Issues Coordinator
http://www.ferretcongress.org
ADV - If your ferret hasn't been tested, you don't know!
For more information visit: http://www.ferretadv.com
You can help fight ADV!
Visit: http://help4adv.terrabox.com/
[Posted in FML issue 5175]