What is edema in dogs,and how do you treat it?

Question

My friends dog has odema in her lungs and she would like to know what it is and what causes it,also how can it be treated.she has a beagle.Any help would be greatly appreaciated.
Thank you.

Answer 1

there are several possible causes: the most common is heart trouble.

"cardiac insuffiency" just means the heart isn't pumping enuf blood around the body; AGE, valve problems, FAT, heartworms, there are dozens of possible reasons.

edema means "fluid" is being retained in the body; fluid in the lungs is not good, as that means there's less room for AIR, which is what the dog needs in their lungs: air that has oxygen in it, so that the bloodstream can take up o2 for the brain, muscles, & other organs. every cell in the body needs food & o2 brought TO it, & waste taken AWAY...

so edema is not good.
the dog is slowly drowning; there are some meds that can help, if it's heart failure & the dog is elderly.
if the dog is YOUNG, & it's heartworm, that's also possibly treatable - but it is risky.

a valve-defect might need surgery; that can be very expensive, but the dog might do fine & have a normal life-span afterwards.

hopefully, this is a treatable problom; if not, & the dog is Not In Pain, then the best course is to give supportive care, & when the dog's life is no longer enjoyable, or it becomes painful, to end her life.

many vets will come to Ur home to euthanize a dog; this can be much less upsetting for the pet, as they are in their familiar surroundings. other animals also get to say good-bye, which is helpful & less disturbing than having their buddy disappear.

both pets & people need to grieve whan they lose a friend; home euthanasia is one way to ease the stress on the dying animal, & help the survivors cope after they are dead.
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i hope that Ur friend's Beagle is a treatable case; meds, pacemakers, & many other options can help. it depends on what is CAUSING the edema, which is only a SYMPTOM...

i'll hold a good thought for her...

Answer 2

edema is fluid accumulation. It has to be caused by something as it is a symptom and not a disease. What has the vet said? Is the dog positive for heartworm. heartworm affects heart function which in turn causes fluid build up. We have a boxer getting heartworm treatment who has edema. The vet has her on Lasix, a diuretic.

Answer 3

heres a google search hope it helps