Does anyone have experience with advanced heart disease in a dog?
Does anyone have experience with advanced heart disease in a dog?
Heart is what kills most of my dogs, but I cannot speak intelligently to it.
My last bulldog died of a growth on or by his heart. Our favorite Frenchie died of congestive heart failure, and she was not ancient. As I sit here thinking — a lot of them died of heart failure, either heart gave out after lots of warning or they had massive surprise heart attacks.
My last dog was slowing down and I figured it was his heart, but I had two vets listen to his heart and they couldn’t hear anything wrong. Wasn’t until he had chest x-rays that we saw the growth. The event that caused me to have chest x-rays was that he fainted.
My most beloved pooch died of congestive heart failure.
How did you know if they were in pain?
I dont kniw if they had pain. I dont think they did, “they” being the latest congestive heart dog and the mass-on-heart dog. They ate normally and were happy, just subdued in their actions and activity.Originally Posted by Geila
With Our congestive heart failure Frenchie I knew something was wrong because, after extreme exertion, she would step back and wobble a little on her feet, and breathe hard. This went on for a year before we took her in for another issue and our vet recognized pretty severe congestive heart failure. We euthanized her the next day.
My Lucy is starting to have days when she doesn't eat and then on days when she does eat, vomiting it all up. Four times in one day. Also, what began as coughing turned into chocking sounds and then quickly became difficulty breathing and a wet sound. And sometimes when I pick her up to put her on the couch she cries out in pain, it appears to be from the area by the armpit. She has grade 6 murmur.
There's a network of vets called Lap of Love that provides in home hospice and euthanasia services. I'm thinking of trying them out. Our last dog we waited too long and he was in a lot of pain when we had to rush him in to the vet on a Saturday morning. Luckily, we'd been there 3 days straight so he took us in right away and we put him out of his pain even immediately, though the waiting room was packed. But now, my vet has 2-week waiting periods for appts. and the local emergency vets have 3-4 hour waits. I just don't want her to suffer.
G, it sounds like the right decision. Cassie got CHF and was on 3 medications. 8 months later she was suffering and we had to let her go.
Yeah, Teddy made coughing sounds for months. I noticed his distinct slowing down and coughing about six months before his heart mass was identified on x-ray. He was an old dog so his heart could’ve been failing in addition to the mass.
I am sorry to hear about Lucy.
It's just so hard because some mornings she is super happy and running around wiggling her tiny butt and leaping onto the couch to be with me. Other days she is low energy and has to be lifted on the couch very carefully to avoid hurting her and instead of cuddling with me she separates herself a few feet away. And she is the sweetest, most loving dog I've ever met. I've barely had any time to spoil her and love on her.
And with her being so tiny, just 6.5 lbs., I don't think she will tolerate meds very well.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote