Hi everyone, for the last few days, my dog has been breathing much heavier than usual while he’s asleep. He has a heart murmur and, because of his age, he really struggles with the heat. He’s been panting a lot all summer—it’s quite worrying to see, but he does eventually manage to cool himself down. He’s got a cooling mat and likes to sleep in the basement or on the tiles. He’s always been a big snorer, but now the noise is four times louder than before. Obviously, I was worried about pulmonary oedema, but he hasn't got a cough. He’s eating well but just seems a bit more tired (though that’s always the case when it’s hot...). Since I don’t have much faith in vets, who are often too quick to prescribe tablets that just make things worse, does anyone have any idea what’s causing this noisy breathing? A huge thank you to anyone who takes the time to get back to me.
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If anyone has any dietary advice for liver and kidney failure, I’d be really grateful. I think I need to cut back on meaty bones and add some well-cooked carbs (my dog spends all his time nibbling on the chicken feed, so I’m wondering if he actually needs it), plus some green tripe, veg, skin, and cottage cheese. But do you have any other recommendations, please? It’s not easy trying to find the right diet with so much information to sift through.
Hi everyone, I’ve just got back from the vet, and it’s good news – Snoopy doesn’t have a heart problem; his heart is actually working perfectly. However, he does have a respiratory issue. To be honest, he’s had a bit of a big belly for a few months now, and I thought he’d just put on weight because I’d increased his portions (since the vets previously thought he was too thin), but that’s not it at all – his weight has stayed stable.
It turns out he has ascites, which is poor circulation that’s quite common in senior dogs (the vet thinks he’s probably closer to 13-15 years old than 11... which is what I was worried about). His abdomen is full of fluid, which is putting pressure on his diaphragm and causing lung congestion, leading to those breathing difficulties and making him feel really tired.
I wasn't too keen on the idea, but the vet was adamant about putting him on a three-week course of steroids. He’s struggling so much with his breathing that the vet reckons if we don't treat the inflammation, he’ll get poorly and won't be able to cope with the temperatures dropping this winter. He told me it would be too risky not to use steroids. He also gave me a natural supplement to help his breathing called Respiphytol – it’s eucalyptus-based, if anyone’s heard of it.
He should be feeling better by Monday, but I have to watch him because steroids make them very thirsty. I need to make sure he doesn't drink more than usual because that fluid in his belly needs to be processed through the kidneys to get his metabolism back on track. It’s basically all linked; he’s an old boy, so he has some liver and kidney issues which are causing the fluid build-up and the breathing problems. It seems to be the logical start of liver and kidney failure due to his age.
I’m also going to look into adjusting his BARF diet again... I’d actually cut his daily portions by about 20g thinking he was getting fat... poor Snoopy is going to hate me! Anyway, I thought I’d share this explanation in case it helps someone else if they ever notice similar symptoms, even though every case is unique...
Thanks so much, I’ve tried listening to his lungs and there’s no crackling. I’ve spoken to the vet on the phone—not the homeopathic one, but a new vet in my area who comes highly recommended. He’s already ruled out a grass seed in the nose given the symptoms and reckons it’s more likely a heart issue or tracheitis... Apparently, it’s much more serious when the dog is breathing heavily with its mouth open, but Snoopy’s mouth is closed... He’s actually a farm vet who does this in the evenings as well; he noticed how desperate people were because of the lack of competent vets nearby, and the local farmers encouraged him so much because of his passion and skills that he finally gave in! The only snag is that he doesn’t have any equipment for X-rays or blood tests... But he told me that by examining him, he should be able to determine what’s causing the snoring and see if everything’s alright. Anyway, I’ll keep you all posted 👌 here’s hoping I’m worrying for nothing...
Hi Mel, yes of course, I realise that you can't get a diagnosis from just a single post. I'm just wondering if anyone else has been through something similar and might have some ideas about these various symptoms, as I’m trying to understand these noises that have suddenly got much worse. My dog once had a bad reaction to some medication and nearly died, so yes, I’m quite wary of vets these days; many in my area seem a bit money-hungry. I’ve been to a homeopathic vet who treated him very well, but they are about an hour and a half away. I won’t hesitate to go back if the situation gets worse. But since it might not be serious given that he’s eating well, I was just hoping for some advice other than the usual "go to the vet"... My dog is a rescue, so I don’t know his exact age, but he’s roughly between 11 and 15. He’s recently put on a lot of weight and was bitten by a tick, so I’m basically looking for any possible connection... How did you spot your dog’s heart problem?
We spotted the problem because she struggles to breathe at times and starts coughing and bringing up what looks like water. It’s actually a bit like she’s vomiting a clear liquid, but she isn’t vomiting—she’s clearing her lungs. Ours has had it since birth.
