Diagnosis Of High Blood Pressure For Reggie

[smday]

I posted here in Feb. about my 14 year old Jack Russell Terrier Reggie who was having some health problems. He got better and then worse again recently. Assorted vet visits and a referral to a specialist today has left us with a diagnosis of high blood pressure. Apparently he will have to cut out the martinis and cigarettes

 

Anyway, his heart and lungs look pretty good for his age - there is some chronic lung stuff which would explain his bouts of crackling lung noises which my vet had observed. Bloodwork is almost perfect. Ultrasound of abdomen showed nothing remarkable. The biggest concern the vet had was his eyes. I knew he had some cataracts but he also has some retinal hemorrhage and detachment. He seems to be able to see ok. He just started on Norvasc tonight. I had to get the prescription filled at the drugstore. The pharmacist said that the drug was expensive for a dog - $46.00. She would have been really shocked if I had told her the vet specialist's bill for today was nearly $700 We go back for a recheck in a week.

 

Does anyone have experience with high blood pressure in dogs?

 

Thanks

Susan

Edited May 30, 2007 by smday

[Guest ss556]

Hi, Alan has high blood pressure and is on Norvasc, which at the drug store is about $2.00 per pill. He takes two 2.5 mg. daily. I just picked up 90 for $225.00 last week. He is also on Benazepril and spironolactone (diuretic) and the drops for pannus, he keeps me working full time.

 

He was first placed on the benazepril but it didn't bring his BP down, so Norvasc was added and it has helped. We don't know his true resting BP b/c when he goes to the vet to get it checked, he's shaking like a leaf. It used to be 240-260, now around 150 while nervous, which is better. How high is the BP?

[Batmom]

No advice, just good wishes.

[Burpdog]

I'd check the internet, Costco and Sam's for better prices

 

I've ordered from this site before:

 

http://www.rxusa.com/cgi-bin2/db/db.cgi

[Guest ss556]

Thanks Diane, that is a good pricing place. And it's right here in NY.

[patricia]

Our Angel Queenie was controlled very well with the Norvasc...we got it at Costco. Sending prayers your way.

[smday]

Thank you all -

 

I will ask what his blood pressure was when I call tomorrow for a follow up appointment. It's not on his discharge papers.

 

Also, do you have to be a member of Costco to get a good price? He only gets 1/2 of a 2.5 pill each day so that's good anyway! I can join Costco if I need to.

 

Susan

 

[packmom]

Angel takes Norvasc. It is expensive! We can now get a generic form that is slightly cheaper but not much. My friend's grey takes benazepril at a much lower cost. Not sure why they choose one or the other. Angel's blood pressure was hard to get under control. I think about 3 months of increasing dosages and weekly monitoring. She now takes 20 mg twice a day.

Edited May 31, 2007 by packmom

[Guest ss556]

It's my understanding that norvasc and benazepril work in different ways to control blood pressure - Alan's being very high wasn't controlled by one medication. Expensive, definitely, but as long as it works! It does pay to shop around I learned!

[Burpdog]

You do not have to be a member of Costco to get prescriptions (however, be prepared to pay cash or use a debit card), or Sam's Club either.

 

20mg twice a day is a huge dose! I only take 10

[smday]

How high is the BP?

 

I just talked to the vet - Reggie's BP is 185. He was down to 13 lbs which isn't good at all. I am going to take him to my regular vet today to see if he is still losing - I am feeding him Puppy chow 1/2 cup 2 times a day. He used to eat about half that of regular Purina ONE.

 

He seems very happy and normal so that's good.

 

Edited to add - we just got back from our regular vet and he is back to normal at 15 lbs.

Edited May 31, 2007 by smday

[Guest paulamariez]

Our first greyhound Chief was diagnosed with high blood pressure, although he was given a different and less expensive medication that I got from the pharmacy. It cost about $30.00 a month, but I'm sure the vet has his reasons for the Norvasc. The only problems that Chief encountered with his high blood pressure, was some difficulty breathing, because of the enlargement of his heart, which cut down on his lung capacity. His heart was enlarged from years of high blood pressure that was never caught by our previous vet. Chief had to go on medication for his breathing, theophylline, an asthma med. He would get winded pretty quickly if he ran around, but he was smart enough to know when to quit if it was too much for him. Other than that it didn't cause him any problems and it was the stupid bone cancer that finally did him in, nothing to do with the high blood pressure. Our last vet said that we were lucky that veterinary medicine finally progressed enough to actually find out when dogs have high blood pressure, because in the past, they didn't have a good way to check it accurately or have a machine that was affordable enough to have to check blood pressure.

[Guest LynnM]

IIRC, Norvasc has recently become available in generic. Might be worth checking on.

 

Pam's oldest dog Isaac has also done well with a home-cooked salt-free diet. His stew is much tastier than K/D and he is the shiniest, healthiest looking sick dog you'll ever see. His BP and CHF are maintained with this, a low dose of Enalapril and a moderate amount of Lasix.

 

Lynn

[Guest VirginiaGreys]

Just now seeing this. I hope Reggie is feeling better. I think that the price for prescriptions at Costco is the same whether you are a member or not. And I have also found their prices on prescriptions to be the lowest....at least around here.