My dog is in Congestive Heart Failure

[dville_gt]

Noticed my dog (11yr/old Jack Russel/Chihuahua mix) has been lathargic over the past 5-7 days, and over the past 2-3 days has began breathing very quickly even at rest. She is still eating/drinking, but I took her in this AM to the vet. They did a full blood panel and X-ray of her chest and say she has fluid in her lungs and that her heart was barely visable on the x-ray and that they want to do an ultrasound on her heart and have that, along with the x-rays sent to some type of certified cardiologist for review.

Has anyone on here been through this? I love my pup so I'm willing to spend whatever it cost as long as it is the humane thing to do and it makes sense. So far my tab is $380 before the ultrasound/review, then it'll be ~$750. Kinda seems weird that if they know its CHF they don't just start treating it, but I guess they just want to be ultra sure?

Thanks in advance.

[slow99]

Yep, we had to euthanize one of ours back in 2010 for the same thing (she actually had pulmonary disease as well). Fluid was building in her abdomen so she was swelling up and looked like she had a tumor. We had her fluid drained but it was back within a couple days. Sorry to hear this, best wishes.

[Unicorn Jeff]

$750 is alot of coin for some peoplr so thats why they dont start it. But for you and me that isnt bad. Now if it was like 2grand or something then id be thibkibg differently. I love my dogs though.

[dville_gt]

$750 is alot of coin for some peoplr so thats why they dont start it. But for you and me that isnt bad. Now if it was like 2grand or something then id be thibkibg differently. I love my dogs though.

ya, i guess what i meant though is why they want to send it off and have these additional test done if they seem to already know what it is. seems like we could skip the extra 300 step and just start treating it.

[Unicorn Jeff]

ya, i guess what i meant though is why they want to send it off and have these additional test done if they seem to already know what it is. seems like we could skip the extra 300 step and just start treating it.

Thats how they make their money. Their customers dont want to believe so theyll send it in for a 100% answer that costs 300

[Baron Von Crowder]

When my boxer/mastiff was acting funny, I took him in and had them run tests to see what was wrong. He had some sort of mass in his abdominal area from the scans, and the blood work wasnt showing good signs. The vet was shocked when I told her that he was 12 or nearly that old. She didnt refuse to keep testing and try to treat him, but she tried very hard to tell me he was way over his life expectancy, and would be in pain and wouldnt be comfortable for the rest of his days.

Little dogs live longer, but if its already happening, might be time to ask the dock about quality of life after this.

[BMCSean]

ya, i guess what i meant though is why they want to send it off and have these additional test done if they seem to already know what it is. seems like we could skip the extra 300 step and just start treating it.

Try to find a specialist if you can and just go directly there. Our bulldog got an infection in his eye and we spent over $4k in one year on treatments at the vet. One night his eye ruptured and they sent us to a specialist who said they could have done a better job with a different process than what we had done.

Long story short; we spent $4k on unneeded treatments and ended up having to put him down. If we had gone to the specialist it would have been $2k and we would still have him. Still mad at the vet, 2 years later.

[dville_gt]

meh, i just gave them the okay, i have a long history with this vet and this dog has had $5k+ in problems throughout her life (she has an autoimmune disorder). she is one of my best buddies, so if it cost 750 to determine what the best treatment will be then i gotta spend it. i'd kick myself in the ass forever if i just let her die over 750 bucks.

send prayers, i REALLY don't want to lose her right now.

[8mpg]

Well, if it is anything like in humans, the ultrasound will just really tell them the ejection fraction of the heart. If it is low, then there isnt much you can do. Im not sure if they use Digoxin in dogs or not.

Honestly, I would just ask the vet to try and treat it. Some type of diuretic to help strip off the excess fluids then it will be up to you to limit the amount of fluid the dog can drink. CHF is very managable

[talisman]

Hope she is okay man.

[Unicorn Jeff]

Prayers sent buddy! $750 well spent.

[Forever_frost]

Prayers sent. Things like this remind me that my little buddy is getting close to his life expectancy as well

[dville_gt]

Prayers sent. Things like this remind me that my little buddy is getting close to his life expectancy as well

it fucking sucks. she's been on deaths doorstep a few times and each time i tell myself that if i just get a little more time with her i'll be okay when it's her time, but i'll never be okay with it being her time. only thing that makes me feel better is knowing that if she dies first she won't ever have to wonder why i didn't come home (if i died before her).

[Rreemo]

Well, if it is anything like in humans, the ultrasound will just really tell them the ejection fraction of the heart. If it is low, then there isnt much you can do. Im not sure if they use Digoxin in dogs or not.

Honestly, I would just ask the vet to try and treat it. Some type of diuretic to help strip off the excess fluids then it will be up to you to limit the amount of fluid the dog can drink. CHF is very managable

I think Lasix is typically the one of choice in dogs....at least it was when I was in that business.

[8mpg]

I think Lasix is typically the one of choice in dogs....at least it was when I was in that business.

just like in people.