Right now, Dominique is staying overnight at the emergency veterinary hospital. This afternoon, out of the blue, DH noticed she was laying in a place she doesn't usually lay. Then she was in another odd location a few minutes later, & was making a funny crying sound. He brought her downstairs & we decided to take her to the vet, as she seemed to be breathing very heavily. They immediately put her in an oxygen tent, & then took an x-ray...that showed an enlarged heart & a lot of fluid. A sonogram showed a problem with the valve leading to the left atrium. She has to stay overnight to stabilize, then tomorrow maybe she can come home, but I think I will bring her right to her own vet straight from the hospital. They can keep her there over the day & then we can get a prognosis. The emergency vet said the heart was moderately enlarged but the sonogram showed the valve malfunction as serious.
We are pretty shaken right now--this came out of nowhere.
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Denise & Dominique 
