For those who want to know what happened with Sevie:
 
Sev suddenly developed a Level Three AV Heart Block during her surgery.
That is also called a Complete AV Heart Block and is the worst kind.
(There are other and safer types.)  It almost killed her.  The bradycardia
(slow heart rate) and the lack of communication between her atrial and
ventricular parts of her heart continue and she is on Aminophylline.  The
danger is that her insufficient heart output will starve other organs.
She has two chances: if the cause can be corrected then she might reverse
because some do, or a pacemaker.  She is not really a pacemaker candidate
for several reasons.  Some possible causes include:
 
that it is caused by a heart infection secondary to a systemic infection
(Perhaps her pancreas was also infected.) so she is on antibiotics,
 
that it is caused by the hypoglycemia itself and as her body recovers
from the insulinoma surgery it may reverse,
 
that is has one of the other causes known (electrolyte imbalance,
hypothyroid, etc.) and these are being checked.
 
We're awaiting yet more test results and she has a scheduled upcoming
ultrasound.
 
This is not a common problem by any means and veterinary cardiologists
are consulting.
 
The big and hard thing now is to keep her going and happy to give it time
to reverse if it is going to do so.
 
Sev is of unknown adult age, likely 5 or older and has been with us since
she arrived as an adult rescue something like three years ago.
 
Belvidere (sp) pharmacy (which does a lot of compounding for animals)
specially rushed her essential medication for her.
[Posted in FML issue 3828]