Are sub-q fluids safe for dogs with kidney failure and breathing?

These are all great questions. I’m sorry you are having to navigate through this with Memi but he is lucky to have an owner as dedicated as you are! An increased respiratory rate and/or effort can be indicative of fluid build up in the lungs from heart failure. Sometimes this fluid can be heard on exam with a stethoscope and sometimes it can only be seen on X-rays. In my experience, the severity of the fluid build up correlates with the physical exam findings. Occasionally I may see fluid in an X-ray that I cannot hear on exam so I always recommend doing X-rays if I am suspicious of heart failure. The rate at which fluid builds up in th lungs can vary from dog to dog and case to case. There is no way to anticipate how quickly fluid will accumulate in Memi until it begins to happen. A diuretic like lasix can very effectively remove this fluid but, like with all drugs, has to be used with caution and the patient has to be monitored closely while on it. If Memi is still having difficulty breathing I would recommend requesting a recheck appointment with either your regular veterinarian or your cardiologist. I hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions.

I would recommend that you have Nica evaluated by a vet as soon as possible. A respiratory rate of 60/minute is much higher than normal. Some dogs with heart issues don't tolerate extra fluids. It is a constant battle for us to manage dogs with both heart and kidney disease. Nica may need x-rays to see if there is fluid in her lungs or oxygen therapy if she isn't oxygenating well.

Hello. Wheezing is neither a symptom of the HG, nor from the subcutaneous fluids. Fluids can sometimes overwhelm the lungs, but this generally occurs when fluids are administered IV, too fast or in overwhelming amounts. If the wheezing continues, worsens or his breathing rate is greater than 60 breaths per minute ( not panting ), you should return to your vet for further evaluation & treatment. I hope Tommy is feeling better soon & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am sorry to hear that Memi is so sick. You may want to discuss doing subcutaneous fluids at home with your veterinarian. Also anti nausea medication such as cerenia can also be helpful and appetite stimulants if needed as well. I hope you have some good quality time left with him. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

I'm very sorry to hear about this situation. Sadly, even if Kody would tolerate fluid therapy at home, it would not reverse the renal failure. When we are giving subcutaneous fluids at home, we are trying to keep our pets comfortable and give them more time. In patients that do tolerate it well, it still only helps for a while. Making the decision to euthanize is never easy. What I never want to see is a patient that ends up resenting the care their family is trying to provide, and making their last days miserable for everyone involved. If you absolutely wanted to keep going and keep trying, you could hospitalize with IV fluids, or take him to the veterinarian for daily subcutaneous fluids, but if he hates the treatment, I'm not sure that is what most people would want their pet's last days to be like. I can only access how Kody is doing based on the information provided, but it sounds like you are at a point when it would not be wrong to consider euthanasia. Even knowing it is the right thing does not make it easy. I wish I had better answers for 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.

Hello, sorry to hear about Michael. It sounds like he needs to be more thoroughly assessed and medically managed. He may even need hospitalization as his breathing rate is severely elevated. I would recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian tonight to ensure he is not having fluid in his chest or lungs which make it hard for him to breathe. He may likely need to be hospitalized to treat his kidney and respiratory problems as he may be suffering. Hope this helps and best of luck.