Hello again from the Compound Lab!This is post #20; previous posts can be found earlier on our page (look for them on Fridays!).This week we’re back to our animal patients! There’s just a few vet topics I have left, but I am always open to addressing other topics if I receive any requests for them.Today, I’m going to talk about heart failure. Like us, our pets (especially dogs) can suffer from weak hearts. This is usually a result of genetics (certain breeds are more prone to it than others) and/or environmental factors (being overweight, aging, etc.). Whatever the cause, once your pet has heart failure, there is no cure for it. Having heart failure can lead to many different symptoms, including tiredness, loss of appetite, swelling caused by fluid buildup, and others.Fortunately, even though there’s not a cure for heart failure, it can be managed. Treatments for heart failure tend to focus on treating those extra symptoms or by treating the heart directly. For example, furosemide or spironolactone can help your pet remove fluid buildup. On the other hand, pimobendan helps the heart by increasing blood flow and its ability to contract. Your vet can help find the best treatment plan for your individual pet, which may include some or all of these types of meds.If your pet is on several medicines for heart failure, we can often save you money and effort by combining them into a single compound. Instead of having to give four different drugs at four different prices, you could just give one drug at one price. It’s possible you could save hundreds of dollars this way.If you have questions about heart failure or anything else pet-related, we’d love to answer them!As always, we're available in the lab Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm. Or you can email me anytime at brandon.ladage@belewdrugs.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Until next time,
Brandon
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