How to know when to let go of a dog with congestive heart failure?

Question

My Maltese will be 13 next month. She has CHF and her heart is now almost twice the normal size and almost round. This is of course limiting her breathing area. There is some fluid. Mostly around heart & some in abdomen. I just need to know what to expect when the time comes. Will her heart just stop, or will she strangle & suffocate ? This sounds horrible but I need to know. Thank you. Pet's info: Dog | Maltese | Female | spayed | 12 years and 10 months old | 11.5 lbs

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

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 :-(

How to know when to let go of a dog with congestive heart failure?

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