My old dog has heart disease and struggles. Is it time to say goodbye?

Question

Hi. My 13.5 yr old terrier dachshund was diagnosed with cataracts and heart disease just over a year ago. She has a hard time breathing, chronic dry cough, can't see well, hard of hearing and doesn't make it outside most times to potty anymore. this morning we saw quite a bit of blood all around where she pooped but didn't see it in her stool. I'm tortured by this decision but is it time to give her eternal rest? She hasn't improved with the meds and I can't see prolonging the inevitable. :*(. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 13 years and 6 months old | 18 lbs

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

I'm so sorry to hear that you and Sammi are struggling with end of life decisions. This is one of the most difficult and agonizing decisions that we make as pet owners. Anytime difficulty breathing is involved, suffering is occurring. Given her heart disease, it seems most likely that the breathing difficulty and coughing are a result of heart disease or congestive heart failure. Without examining her and seeing her chest x-rays, I can't accurately speak as to her current situation and if a change in medication may be beneficial to improve her quality of life and breathing issues for the time being. Finding blood around her stool is another concerning sign, and could be related to issues with her colon or anal glands. Given Sammi's difficulty breathing at this point, it sounds as though your best two options are either a) further evaluation by her vet urgently to determine if medications can be adjusted to improve her quality of life, or b) euthanasia to ease her pain and suffering. On a personal note, I understand the difficulty of this decision as I recently went through it with one of my own older dogs. Making the decision was difficult, but in the end, I felt a sense of relief knowing that he was at peace and no longer suffering. I hope this helps you and that all goes as well as possible for Sammi.

My old dog has heart disease and struggles. Is it time to say goodbye?

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