What does stage 5 congestive heart failure mean for my dog's health?

I'm sorry Chloe has CHF. She will have extreme difficulty breathing, blue colored gums, she may cough blood, and she will be in a lot of distress and pain. I do not recommend letting her get to this place, it would be horrible for her. One of the great things about veterinary medicine is that we have the ability to ease a dog's suffering before they reach a place of intense pain, distress, and suffering. I recommend having her put to sleep before she reaches this place, it will be better for her and you. Having to watch her go through those symptoms I described above would be very upsetting to you, and you don't want to put her or you through it. I work for a home euthanasia service, so I face the question as to when it is time to let them go frequently. I would make a list of five things Chloe loves to do. When she is no longer doing at least two of them, then it's time to let her go peacefully. It's about looking at her quality of life and preventing her from getting to a place where it's awful. You can speak with your vet for more advice as to when to let her go. You can also request a consult with me for a more in-depth discussion about it. I hope this helps, and again I'm sorry :-(

First off, I'm so very sorry you lost Lucky so suddenly! How horrible for you, and please accept my condolences for your loss. Yes, it certainly is possible that she was suffering from late stage CHF causing the symptoms you saw when you came home. CHF causes syncope, which is when a dog suddenly passes out due to lack to blood to the brain. Unfortunately without seeing her in person, I can't say for certain, but it is possible. I hope you are doing ok after the loss of your dog, and I hope this helps you!

I'm very sorry to hear about the loss of your dog. Unfortunately, chronic renal failure is a common problem in elderly dogs, and is often in the late stages already by time it's diagnosed. The situation was likely complicated by the fact that your girl also had CHF, because the treatment for renal failure (lots of fluids) is essentially the opposite of what dogs with heart disease need to control their symptoms. So we are often stuck between a rock and a hard place, when it comes to trying to treat dogs who have both of these problems. It sounds like your girl had a wonderful life, to have made it to 17 years old. It doesn't sound like there's anything at all you could have done differently - these are both just bad diseases, that are unfortunately common in older pets. Again, I'm very sorry for your loss.

These decisions are certainly not easy to make and I'm sorry that you and Pepper are going through this. While I can't examine Pepper to speak to his current state of respiratory distress or discomfort, anytime ascites and respiratory changes consistent with heart failure are present, the animal is generally uncomfortable. With heart failure, animals accumulate fluid in and around the lungs and do not appropriately perfuse oxygenated blood, causing a weakened state with difficulty breathing. In cases of heart failure, I would recommend either trying appropriate diuretics and other medications (possibly enalapril/benazapril and pimobendan, as indicated) or euthanizing. Without reducing the fluid in the chest and improving heart contractility to allow for better oxygenation, animals have a diminished quality of life. Closely monitor Pepper for more effort in his breathing, coughing, inappetance and lethargy. I'm sorry you're going through this and I hope this helps.

I am sorry to hear that. As long Sassy is stable with the heart failure, does not pant excessively and does not have episodes of collapse the quality of life is usually acceptable. However, some dogs suffer from refractory congestive heart failure and in these cases it is difficult to keep them comfortable as they have tendency to build up fluid in the lungs over and over again. I would say as long as Sassy is eating, drinking, going for walks (they can be very short) and enjoying her life it is worth to continue with the treatment.

For now there is very little you can do except start the medication prescribed and wait for them to work. Your dog should start feeling a lot better within the next few days with less fluid in his lungs and better cardiac function. You can start feeding a special diet for dogs with congestive heart failure, such as Hills Prescription h/d. Such diets typically have restricted sodium levels to limit fluid retention, added taurine and L-carnitine, and amino acids that may help support heart function, added B-vitamins and magnesium. Here is some good information: http://www.vermontveterinarycardiology.com/index.php/for-clients/feeding-the-cardiac-patient

When you are unable to control Chewy’s symptoms with medication then it will probably be time to let him go. It sounds as if he is doing well for now. If he stops wanting to eat, has trouble with minimal exercise, or coughs constantly, these are signs that his disease is not well controlled. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.