My senior dog is sick, has heart murmur, can't afford vet. What to do?

Question

My dog is sick but I can't afford to take him to the vet. He seems weak. He is a 9 year old boxer that. We have only had for a few months. I was reading over what his previous owners had fok his history and it stated he has a heart murmur. After doing some research I think he might have heart disease. We notice he has been gradually been losing weight, he has been eating very little the past 24 hours but he is drinking, peeing and pooping. His poop is loose but not liquid. What can I do? Pet's info: Dog | Boxer | Male | neutered | 9 years and 1 month old

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Roscoe! It does sound like something isn't right, but unfortunately, these are very vague symptoms that could be caused by almost anything - heart disease is certainly a possibility, especially if he has had any coughing or if you see him breathing hard at times, but he could also have a systemic illness like liver or kidney disease, or even a tumor or some type of cancer. As a temporary measure, you can try offering him something bland and tasty like plain boiled chicken and rice to eat - this may help stimulate his appetite a bit and should also help with the loose stool. But for any treatment that will really help, I'm afraid he really needs to see a vet. He will need some diagnostic testing (likely blood work and x-rays) to help diagnose the problem - depending on what is found, your vet can talk with you about his prognosis and treatment options to try and help him. You can see if there is a low-cost SPCA clinic in your area who might be able to help, or call around to local practices to see if they accept payment plans. You can also apply online for CareCredit, which is a third-party payment plan accepted by most vet clinics: www.carecredit.com

My senior dog is sick, has heart murmur, can't afford vet. What to do?

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