How to ensure my senior dog on heart meds gets enough potassium?

Question

Hi, I have a 13 yr old female Shih- Tzu who's on Lasix, vetmetbin, and Enalipril fue to CGH. Last week for her was very scary because the disease reared its ugly head for the first real time. However after speaking with her vet, twerking her meds a bit, and a little extra TCL on the family's part, she's doing better. However, I do want to make sure she's getting the potassium she needs, because I've learned this is one thing she'll lose quickly due to the length of time she's been on it and dose. Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Female | spayed | 13 years and 1 month old

Amber Da Silva, DVM · Accepted Answer

Electrolyte abnormalities are a known side affect of heart medications. It's important to make sure she's eating a good-quality balanced dog food so that's she taking in the proper electrolytes. It is also wise to periodically check her blood work to test the electrolyte levels and see where she is. If there are some that are either high or low, your veterinarian may recommend supplementation. There are also heart diets on the market that may be beneficial to her. Hill's and Royal Canin both make cardiac prescription diets. Here are a couple of links for additional information about what you can feed her. I hope this helps! http://vet.tufts.edu/heartsmart/diet/ http://www.vermontveterinarycardiology.com/index.php/for-clients/feeding-the-cardiac-patient

How to ensure my senior dog on heart meds gets enough potassium?

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