Hello Everyone (I'm new) Hello Martin.

First of all I feel your pain. We are going through something similar with our ten year old (just) Shi Tzu, Teddy and it is breaking our hearts.

He had similar symptons; coughing and breathing rapidly. I thought he had swallowed something and took him to the vet, who immediately suggested an xray as his heart was beating way too quickly.

The xray showed that his heart is around a third bigger than it should be and that there is fluid on his lungs - hence the coughing. The vet prescribed 5mg Fortikor, 10mg Fruismide and 20mg of Prilactone. It's a nightmare getting them down him as he has always been a fussy eater. I'm doing it with Dairylea cheese. Messy but it gets in.

To be honest we're devastated. Teddy is my pride and joy and we love him so very much. The thought of being without him, is making me feel ill. He was a rescue dog which I was fortunate enough to encounter when he was just 14 months old. He comes everywhere with me and he is marvellous with all our rescue cats.

Like you I'm monitoring his heart - which is still rapid even after a week of treatment and early this morning he had a coughing fit and I thought he was a gonner. The stress is absolutely unbearable. Yes the finances are a consideration too as we are self employed and like all small business', we are struggling to keep our heads above water. But I would sell a kidney to help him and I'm sure you will find a way. Don't sweat it too much - just concentrate on getting him well.

Chat to your vet about costs and ask if you can pay on the drip. Most are decent and will be helpful. Also as a previous poster has said, you can obtain medication online with a vets prescription. There are several good vet pharmacies to choose from.

We're due to see our Vet again in four weeks time. I have asked the angels to look in on us and help Teddy - i will ask that they help your little chap too.

Keep your chin up Martin. xx

It doesnt matter if you are a home owner, as far as I can see if you get housing of council tax benefit and you are in a PDSA hospital catchment area you still can get help.

A lot of Older dogs with problems can still have a good lease and quality of life, with medication even if they do have certain things. Ive got an Oldie with Hypo Thyroid and Cushings that untreated make them very very ill and worse if it carries on, but with the meds, people have asked if shes a new dog the difference is that astounding.

I do hope that they can find out what the problem is and that it is treatable.
at least now you do know there is a way to make the medication a lot more affordable sp perhaps what you an save on the meds will help contribute towards the tests she may need.

Really do hope the news will be better today at the vets for you.
Please update how things are going.

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I'm so sorry to hear your bad news too Mrs Buntin, i know exactly what your going through and thanks for your words of comfort, i too pray your Teddy get's through this in a good way.

I have returned from the vet and the news is not good
She listened to his breathing and it was much more congested with fluid than a week ago, she said he has cronic heart failure and it's very progressive. the signs are clasic, there is no need to put him through any stress of xrays as all the signs are there.
she said if we're lucky he has only a few months left to live

i couldn't help but cry

she gave him 3 strong injections to force the fluid out of his lungs, and i have to take him back tomorrow morning so they can see how that went and then possibly get him on the right dosage of medication.

He does'nt like taking pills, the only way i can get them down him is to role them up in a wafer thin slice of ham, then its a bit "hit and miss"

I'm dreading when the final day arrives, i really don't know what to expect, but if the drugs fail to keep the fluid away from his lungs, he'll die from drowning, which i couldn't bair to put him through, but i'll just keep praying that he'll live at least as long as into the summer, so we can give him a good grave in our garden, god know how i'll cope that day.

but the outlook is grim sadly

So sorry to hear that, hope he doesn't suffer.

Sorry the news wasnt good as to the possibility of a cure. Really hoping that the injections he had today will make a difference and together with the right ongoing medication it will give him a decent quality of life so that you have longer together.

Try not to think longer term at the moment and just concentrate on the next few days and getting him stabalised so that he can have as good a life as possible and you have quality time together.

I know how hard it is when the bad news comes out of the blue like this its happened to me in the past. Try to think of now and take each day at a time.
Will be thinking of you both and as said hope these injections make him more comfortable and work.

ETA One thing I have found that works to get dogs to take pills is Liver pate, dogs usually love it and the strong smell hides any smell the meds my have. You can also mould it around the pill to encase it and disguise it completely. Best thing usually is to give the dog a taster without the pill at first, usually once they get the taste most are eager for more so then you can give them the liver pate with the pill in it. Well worth trying.

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Oh Martin. I'm so sorry mate. xx

Beautiful, beautiful boy. I feel your pain. I hope things are going well for him today.

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Transplanted Geordie
RIP Jake, my best dog. 10.8.10
RIP Boomerang, beautiful horse. 27.5.08

Not sure where you are from but in my area lungowrm is a real probelm and can cause coughing. Is your dog treated for that? I would definately get him to a vet. If you are really worried about insurance could you not take him to a different vet for a check up so it wouldn't be on your notes if it turned out to be something the insurance would touch. Also with his age the premiums may be so expensive it may not be worth inusring him. Hope hes gonna be ok

Sadly he's been getting progressively worse.
i took him to the vet again today, and she found that the drugs arn't working, his lungs were congested again, so she gave him 3 jabs of that stuff she did last time to clear the fluid from his lungs, prescribed me a bigger dose of the pills he was having, but told me to prepair myself, because it looks like he's only got a few days left to live if the bigger dose dosen't work.
I just can't get my head around at how fast he's going down hill, in the first half of January he was going for long walks and showing no signs of trouble, and now 4 or 5 weeks later he's at deaths door!
The worst part is that his brain is still as active as it always was, so he want's to play etc, just that his body/heart is letting an other wise healthy dog down.
i'm absolutly gutted, i feel sick, scaired, nervous and guilty all at once
he's more to me than just a dog, he's my shadow, best friend, loving companion and lots more, i wasn't ready for this, only a few weeks ago i thought i would have him for at least another 2 years, then suddenly this happens

Ah bless - we all feel like that with our beloved dogs, they are so much more than juts our pets. We make them our constant companions, our confidants, our children, our shoulder to cry on at times too and they are always there for us through thick and thin, which is more than many many humans ever are.

It's because of this true dedication to our every need through out their wonderful lives that we have to show our final act of love for them and know when to let them go and begin a new life in peace. I have vowed I will not let any of mine wait too long before I make that decision, I know it will break my heart with every one of them but I will owe it to them to let them go without pain and suffering, delaying in order that I can spend another day with them would not be fair. They will pass in their home with all the things and people they know around them and then we shall celebrate their beautiful lives and the honour we had sharing it with them.

It's a very sad time for you and I can understand how awful it is for you to have to say goodbye but please don't leave it too long and remember "Death is an horizon and an horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight" he'll still be there, he will always be there, you just won't be able to see him but he will be with you forever - just as all of my precious past babies still are. xxxx

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Flynn - Kali - Britches - Bruce - T-Bo - Marty



"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack"