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My dog has heart failure & heavy breathing. Is he suffering? When to euthanize?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) | Male | neutered | 15 years old | 11.2 lbs

Lil man was diagnosed with congenial heart failure and still breathing very heavy. How long do I have or is he suffering? When do you know to put him down?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Claudia Fioravanti

Veterinarian

Published on January 27th, 2019

Hi there sorry to hear Lil man has troubles breathing. the course of action will depend on the degree of heart failure and how he responds to medications. I would speak to your vet regarding his quality of life. As per my own experience I can tell you that it is terrible to have troubles breathing, so if Lil man is making no progress, I agree it would be kinder to let him go. It is a difficult decision and needs to be taken considerately, but we need to put Lil man's best interest first. Sending you positive thoughts.

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