Recognizing the signs of a dog dying of heart failure and knowing how to comfort a dog with congestive heart failure are important, especially if your dog has been diagnosed with heart disease. To help guide you on this journey, integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby invites her friend, end-of-life care veterinarian Dr. Dawnetta Woodruff to share some words of wisdom. Dr. Woodruff explains what to expect if your dog has congestive heart failure, how to care for your dog, and when it may be time to say goodbye.
When your beloved canine companion has been diagnosed with heart problems, the possibilities and uncertainties are often overwhelming. Your veterinarian may have given you a brief overview of heart failure. Or he or she may have gone over things in great detail. Either way, a new diagnosis of canine heart disease means that you have a lot of information to consider. And you likely have many questions.
Two of the biggest concerns are often, “How can I keep my dog comfortable through the final stages of congestive heart failure?” and “Will I be able to recognize the signs my dog is dying of heart failure and know when it is time to say goodbye?”
Understandably, you want your dog to be with you for as long as possible. But you also want to prioritize his or her comfort and quality of life. So what does this look like when your dog has congestive heart failure (CHF)?
Heart failure basics
To really grasp the complexities of these questions, we need to start with a basic understanding of heart failure. The canine heart is like the human heart—it has four chambers, a smaller right and left atrium and a larger right and left ventricle.
These chambers are made up of strong muscle that contracts in a specific rhythm to move blood throughout the body. As blood moves through the heart and into its associated blood vessels, there are heart valves in place to prevent blood “backflow” and to ensure blood is pushed forward to its next destination.
If the ability of the heart to pump blood to the lungs and body changes, the heart’s function decreases. And eventually the end result may be congestive heart failure (CHF). In other words, fluid accumulates in the body or lungs due to the heart’s inability to adequately do its job.
Sometimes heart failure is due to leaking of the valves, such as occurs in mitral valve disease in dogs. Other times, a condition such as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs weakens the heart muscle itself, leading to heart failure. Or potentially the dog could have heartworm disease in dogs, a congenital heart defect, or other heart problems.
Regardless of the cause, when the heart muscle can’t pump effectively, or when the valves do not prevent backflow, this disrupts proper blood flow through the heart and vessels. As a result, blood backs up in the vessels, pushing fluid out into the lungs or abdomen. At that point, the dog is in congestive heart failure in dogs. Depending on which side of the heart fails, heart failure can be left-sided, right-sided, or both.
Diagnosis of heart failure in dogs
If the vet catches heart disease in dogs early, there may be no outward signs of heart failure. The only clue may be that your vet hears a heart murmur in dogs during a physical exam. But in other situations, you may see more obvious symptoms such as coughing, trouble breathing, or being a lethargic dog.
In either case, your vet may recommend chest X-rays as a diagnostic starting point. X-rays are a good way to evaluate the size and shape of the heart and to look for fluid accumulation in the lungs (i.e. pulmonary edema).
Additionally, your vet may refer you to a veterinary specialist near you, such as a veterinary cardiologist for further diagnostics. This may include an echocardiogram (i.e. heart ultrasound). The echo lets the vet see inside the heart while it is beating to give a full picture of what is causing your dog’s heart disease. And it helps your dog’s medical team know what medications will be most beneficial.
Treatment and monitoring of heart failure
Once your vet has diagnosed your dog with one of the types of heart disease, it is important to give your dog his or her medications on time and not miss doses. The various heart medications help your dog’s heart beat stronger, decrease abnormal heart rhythms, or help keep fluid from accumulating in the lungs or body. Thus, it is critical to carefully follow your vet’s instructions regarding these medications.
Additionally, you should bring your dog back to the vet for regular checkups. That way he or she can track the progression of your dog’s heart disease and modify the treatment plan as needed.
How do you recognize worsening heart failure?
It is also important for you to be on the lookout for signs the heart failure is progressing, including:
- Exercise intolerance—Your dog may tire quickly on walks or have no interest in play. Or your dog may only be able to catch the ball a few times or often need to “catch his or her breath” during play sessions.
- Increased fatigue—Dogs with heart failure may sleep many more hours a day than they used to.
- Muscle wasting—You might notice your dog looking thin and losing lean muscle mass.
- Coughing—Initially, you might hear your dog coughing and gagging in times of activity or excitement. But he or she may progress to coughing even at rest.
- Elevated heart rate—Your dog may have a “pounding” heart that can be felt or even seen.
- Restlessness—Dogs with congestive heart failure can’t get comfortable in any one position. Or they may only sleep for a few minutes before moving.
- Panting—Even when at rest or when the ambient temperature isn’t overly warm, your dog may still be panting.
- Decreased appetite—Dogs with heart failure may not eat well or may need to pause while eating to catch their breath.
If your dog is is experiencing any of these signs of worsening heart failure, it is important to see your veterinarian or schedule a recheck with your cardiologist right away. He or she may add additional medications or adjust the medication dosages to try to get the heart failure under control again.
Consequences of fluid accumulation
As part of advanced heart failure, your sweet pup will have fluid that accumulates within their abdomen (in right-sided congestive heart failure), or within their lungs (in left-sided congestive heart failure). And you might notice your dog’s paws or legs look swollen from fluid building up there as well.
Regardless of where the fluid builds up, it is evidence that your dog’s heart failure is progressing from stable or “compensated” heart failure to unstable or “decompensated” heart failure. And it means your dog is becoming at risk for a respiratory crisis.
As a dog’s heart failure progresses to its end stages, he or she will have more and more difficulty breathing. Your dog’s gums might look either muddy brown or bluish-grey due to lack of oxygen. And you might notice your dog breathing fast, extending the neck and holding the head at an odd angle, using the belly muscles to breathe, or moving the whole body with each breath. These are signs of respiratory distress.
Air hunger
A dog who is in respiratory distress experiences “air hunger.” This is similar to the way a person feels when they have a severe asthma attack. The body can’t get enough oxygen, and trying to get enough oxygen causes a lot of physical and mental stress. Air hunger has been compared to “drowning from the inside.” As you can imagine, it is a very difficult thing to experience. And it can be very stressful to watch your cherished friend going through such a traumatic time.
Seek help ASAP if you suspect your dog is in advanced heart failure
Should your dog be showing these symptoms of respiratory distress, look “bug-eyed” or stressed while sitting still, or you are otherwise worried about your dog, you need to make an emergency vet visit right away. Additionally, if you notice your pup has a “pot-belled dog” appearance from fluid in the abdomen, it is important to seek care quickly.
How can you help comfort your dog with congestive heart failure?
A respiratory crisis can strike at any time. So it is important to understand how best to help your dog before and during a crisis.
Have an emergency plan
If your dog has CHF, it is important to have an emergency plan before a crisis hits. Know if your vet provides after-hours emergency services and where the nearest emergency room or urgent care is located. And review the signs of advanced congestive heart failure so you can recognize them.
If your vet gives you certain medications (such as furosemide) to administer during a crisis, know where they are so you can find them in an emergency situation. But also be prepared to get to the vet as fast as possible.
Know how to keep your dog comfortable on the way to the vet
When dogs are experiencing respiratory difficulty, you can do a few things in the car on the way to the vet or at home to help them be more comfortable.
- Prop their chin up on a pillow to help extend their neck. This may make it easier for them to get enough air
- Have a fan nearby to move air past their nose to increase comfort.
- Consider purchasing an emergency supply of pet oxygen that you can administer during a crisis (e.g. Pawprint Oxygen). This supply will not last long (typically 15-30min). But it may help you and your dog feel better on the way to the veterinary ER.
Understand what an emergency visit for CHF may entail
Once you arrive at the ER or veterinary clinic, the veterinary team will jump into action to stabilize your dog. When your dog is in an advanced heart failure crisis, he or she may need oxygen, IV medications, or even a chest tap (i.e. thoracocentesis) or an abdominal tap (i.e. abdominocentesis). And the vet may recommend hospitalizing your dog to further stabilize the heart failure before sending him or her home.
Promptly making an urgent care or an ER visit can potentially save your dog’s life when he or she is experiencing a respiratory emergency secondary to heart failure. Best case scenario, your dog responds well to the medications, and their heart can once again compensate. This gives him or her some “bonus time” to spend with you.
However, a stable patient who has recently been through an emergency situation may not stay stable for long. At some point, your dog’s disease will become so advanced that even the best medicine and the best medical team won’t be able to stop the respiratory crisis. The most challenging thing with heart failure is that we never know if the next crisis may be the one that doesn’t respond to therapy.
Take steps to reduce the chances of a respiratory crisis
Since a respiratory crisis is traumatic for all involved, dog parents may understandably also want to avoid it if possible. Sometimes, the signs of worsening heart disease are very subtle. And we may not notice them until the crisis is about to happen.
However, keeping a journal of your dog’s activity levels can help you to notice trends that could point to worsening heart failure. And monitoring your dogs resting respiratory rate (RRR) can also help you detect problems quickly. Typically, RRR for a normal dog should be 15-30 breaths per minute. For dogs with heart disease, an elevation in this number can be one of the first signs of respiratory compromise.
To monitor your dog’s RRR:
- Choose a time of day that you will consistently take the reading.
- Make sure your pup is truly resting, and hasn’t just had a lot of activity.
- Use a clock or a stopwatch to count how many times your dog breathes in 15 seconds (one rise and fall of the chest equals 1 breath).
- Multiply this number by four to get the RRR in breaths per minute (bpm).
You may want to use a blank calendar sheet, an excel spreadsheet, or even a shared Google Doc to track the RRR. That way everyone in the family can watch for trends and your vet can look at the data too.
If your dog’s RRR is gradually climbing, if it rises above 35-40 bpm, or if it makes a big jump (more than a 25% increase from the typical baseline value), report this to your veterinary care team. They may want to make medication adjustments or schedule a recheck based on your observations.
How long can a dog live with congestive heart failure?
Sometimes, with medical therapy and careful monitoring, a dog may live for several years with controlled (or compensated) heart disease. It may take a long time for the disease to progress. And the dog can have a good quality of life for much of that time.
However, in other situations, the heart disease changes rapidly within just a few days or months. The dog may go downhill quickly and have a much shorter window of time with a good quality of life.
For example, in a study of 54 dogs with advanced CHF due to mitral valve disease, the average time between onset of congestive heart failure symptoms and onset of advanced heart failure was 163 days. But it ranged from 10 to 743 days. And the average survival time was 281 days after the diagnosis of advanced heart failure. However, some dogs in the study were euthanized within a few days of being diagnosed with advanced heart failure. And others lived for about two more years.
Thinking through when to put down your dog with heart failure
This whole discussion about heart failure and the potential for a respiratory crisis may sound a bit daunting. And it is. After all, taking care of dogs with CHF is not an easy task. You must give them their medications on time and they may require a special diet. Plus, making sure they are stable requires a lot of diligence and a bit of luck. It can be exhausting for the patient, and sometimes caring for a sick pet becomes too much for you too.
You may be wondering how to know when it is time to put down a dog with congestive heart failure. Should you make that decision before they ever have a crisis? After the first crisis? Or should you allow them to pass with a medically unassisted death? There is no one right answer for every dog. In fact, if you have two dogs with heart failure, you may make a different decision for each of them.
Questions to help make the decision clearer
Asking yourself these questions can be helpful:
- Does your dog take medications well? Or does every medication dose cause stress for you and your pup?
- How severe was your dog’s heart failure when it was first diagnosed? How quickly has it progressed?
- Is your dog healthy other than his or her heart disease? Or does he or she have several other chronic health concerns?
- Does your schedule allow you to keep the medications on a good schedule? How long must your dog stay home alone with no human around?
The answer to all of these questions can help you to see the bigger picture. If your dog takes pills well, heart disease is their only ailment, and you work from home, you will likely be able to help your dog stay stable longer. But if pill time every day is stressful and causes breathing issues, your dog also has osteoarthritis in dogs and kidney failure in dogs, and you spend nine hours a day away from home, it may be kinder to make an earlier decision for euthanasia.
There is no “one right day” to make the decision. Rather there is a window of time where euthanasia is a very appropriate decision to make. In some cases, we need to make the decision earlier in the window, and in other cases, we can wait longer while still being kind to your dog.
Take air hunger into account
One thing to consider specifically with CHF in dogs is the topic of air hunger that was mentioned earlier. Some families prefer for their dog to pass naturally, if possible. When that is the family’s wishes, they are often hoping for their dog to peacefully pass away in his or her sleep.
This can sometimes happen. However, with congestive heart failure, an unmedicated passing is more likely to be painful and difficult for your dog. Air hunger is a very traumatic thing to experience. And at the natural end of CHF, a dog has air hunger to the point of dying while drowning in their own fluids. Dying in this way is distressing for your dog. And is also a difficult final memory for all who love him or her.
For this reason, many veterinarians will encourage families to make a decision sooner with CHF than with other diseases such as mobility problems or kidney failure. If your dog’s congestive heart failure is worsening, his or her breathing is becoming more labored, your dog is in a respiratory crisis that can’t be resolved with therapy, or you are seeing other signs of a dog dying from heart failure, the kindest thing may be to help him or her skip over the hardest parts that are still to come.
Words of comfort for saying goodbye
The decision to euthanize a dog with congestive heart failure never feels like something we are ready for. Our mind can logically come to terms with the decision as a kind and merciful option. However our hearts are not logical, and they will never feel ready.
Even still, when we watch our precious canine friend struggling, and we know that we cannot fix the disease, we come to a point where watching them continue on is harder than allowing them to be at peace. This is when we know we are as ready as we can ever be.
Dogs are very good at sensing a person’s intentions, and they are very intuitive. I believe if they could talk to us, that they would tell us they understand that we are making the decision to say goodbye on a good day, before every moment of joy is gone.
Have you lost a dog to congestive heart failure?
Please share his or her story below.
Hi, I just recently lost my 17.5 year old long haired miniature dachshund Edgar to CHF. On Sunday January 11th he seemed fine, normal routines. he had just went outside to pee and picked him up after and I was holding him singing to him as I normally do. Then he yelped, and went lifeless. I put him on the floor and he was breathing and his eyes were opened, but he was not moving. I rushed him to the emergency vet. His gums were white/greyish. The vet told me he is suffering and he had CHF. I was shocked because he is so healthy other than his kidney levels being a little high and i have him on hills science kidney care food. he has most of his teeth and every 4 months I took him to the vet for blood work since he was a senior and of course was always up to date with this wellness visits. he looked and acted like a young dog not an older dog at all.
The vet brought him back to see me and he seemed like himself again, kissing me and wagging his tail. I said to the vet how can i put him to sleep when he is acting like himself. and how can you tell me he is suffering. The vet told me he is worried about him not making it through the night. The vet told me I could wait for the cardiologist the next day and the cardiologist will tell me when I am telling you. He said that if I did wait then maybe I could take him home and be prepared to give him meds 3 times a day and oxygen, I definitely would of done that, I work from home and would make it work, But he said that may give him weeks or maybe a few months. I was thinking what would that look like or be like for Edgar,,,,eventually he would collapse again and be suffering.
I stayed with him for hours putting off putting him to sleep cause I just could not believe it and of course not being ready and I would never be ready so it was so hard for me to tell the doctor ok I am ready now.
I am struggling with that fact that I should of waiting for the cardiologist and taking him home with the medication and oxygen….but I was afraid that would of made him suffer at some point.
A few weeks prior Edgar had a slight cough I did not think it was something bad. I googled why a dig may be gagging and coughing and it did not say CHF it talked about maybe it is a tracular collapse. I said to myself it can’t be that. The coughing was not persistent and he seemed fine.
Looking back now I cannot forgive myself that I had a chance to take him to the vet when he started coughing if I had known that was a sign of CHF.
I keep thinking if I brought him in then would the outcome change would he still be here longer.
It is hard enough to lose him and even harder questioning the decisions I made. I hope I made the right decision for him even if that was not the right one for me.
Thanks for listening,
Amelia
Dear Amelia,
My heart aches for you with your recent loss of Edgar. I understand how your mind tends to ponder all the “what ifs” while grieving but please don’t allow guilt to weigh you down. You made sure Edgar received the medical attention he needed as soon as you realized there was a problem. Even if you had taken him to the vet weeks earlier, the outcome may have been the same. Some dogs just don’t respond well to treatment and CHF can progress rapidly with little to no warning. I think you made the best choice to offer him peace and rest. There is no greater act of love than to allow your own heart to break in order to spare a beloved pup from unnecessary suffering. I am ceratin Edgar knew how much he was loved and that your presence was a comfort. May his memory stay with you always and continue to be a blessing in your life.
Grieving the Loss of a Dog After Euthanasia (& Finding Peace)
i was told by a vet that my little Chi was in heart failure when she we t for her yearly check up I was shocked I had not notice a problem only a cough which I was told was common in little dogs 6 months later I went back as she had a fit on waking up she was put on oxygen at the vets we were sent home with 4 different tablets which was when the problem started as one of the tablets twice a day were duretics which unsettled her at night and often needed to urinate. Lulu slowed down and each time she barked or ran she coughed which was stressful for her. I made the very hard decision to have her put to sleep as no cure only deterioration I held and spoke to here until she was gone the hardest thing iv ever done she was so peaceful she actually liked the vets she was not afraid and I was talking to her with happy words until she was gone I was then a wreck. 3 months has passed and keep worrying I did it to early not a day without tear even now while I’m writing this I would like professional words I did the right thing for her . would she of lived another few months or a year.
Dear Linda,
My heart aches for you with the loss of your beloved Lulu. While there is no way to know how much longer she could have held on, I definitely think you made the right choice to offer her peace and freedom from her struggles. I would rather say goodbye one day too early than one day too late and allow unnecessary suffering. I am certain she knew how much you loved her and that your presence was a comfort. I hope with time the grief will begin to fade, and your heart can start the healing process. May Lulu’s memory stay with you always and continue to be a blessing in your life. ♥
Grieving the Loss of a Dog After Euthanasia (& Finding Peace)
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I’m here writing this with tears in my eyes knowing my baby Oreo may have to be put to sleep. He was attacked by a big dog Christmas Eve and since then none of our lives have been the same! He started with just the lethargy and then a buffed belly. I took him back to the vet where the told me he had heart worms and heart failure. I’ve been trying my best to keep my baby comfortable, I’ve tried to console myself that I will have him with me longer, but right now my faith is wavering. I don’t want to lose him, but I also don’t want him to suffer anymore. This is one of the hardest seasons of my life. I’ve had my baby for almost ten years, he was my grief partner after my son died in 2016. He was my comfort, how do I let him go?
Dear Shakera,
My heart aches for you as you face this difficult situation with your beloved Oreo. I know you don’t want to be without him by your side but sometimes letting go is the most loving option. I would rather say goodbye one day too early than one day too late and allow unnecessary suffering. We always think about giving a dog a wonderful life, but a peaceful passing is just as important. I pray you can find the answers you need to make the best choice for you and your pup. Wishing you strength and comfort as you navigate this emotional path. Bless you and your sweet boy.
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Our dog had CHF she was diagnosed months ago and was put on vetmedin and eventually foretekor for her heart and frusemide (diuretic) for fluid build up and was going ok till about 10 days ago she had a bit of lethargic and didn’t eat all her meal one night n started making weird choking noises so I took her to vet who said heart heart seemed ok and that she seemed to have something going on with her throat so put her on antibiotics, and upped her dose of diuretics. she had the whole course of antibiotics and seemed to come good was eating, drinking and running around like normal then on night of 15th she went to sleep with my daughter and was up early next morning as usual and my daughter bought her in my room she seemed perfectly fine n we went back to sleep for a small while then when I woke up a bit later I found she had passed away no warning it just happened any I don’t know why, I’m absolutely shattered 💔
Dear Kuana,
My heart aches for you with the recent loss of your beloved girl. What a blessing she was at home and comfortable when she passed peacefully in her sleep. I can only imagine how much you miss her but am certain she knew how much she was loved. With time I hope the grief will fade and your heart can begin to heal. May her memory stay with you always. ♥
Our dog Azlyn whom was a 15 years old chihuahua jack russell mix passed away in her sleep on December 31st 2025. Same day as Betty White’s Death 4 yrs to the day and ironically enough we had been watching the Golden girls since the Dec 20th non-stop ( We were recently gifted a set of dvds for Christmas) .She never had any health problems throughout life. In the past several months we noticed she was sleeping more and knew her time was getting near and her eyes said it all she was exhausted. On the morning she passed away we woke up to use the restroom and when I came out of the bathroom she was standing in the shadows of the hall. I stood there looking at her for what felt like an eternity. something felt so peaceful about that moment then I said Azlyn its early baby lets go back to bed. My boyfriend also spoke softly to her letting her know it was early to come back and lay down and so she laid back down in her bed. little did we know She was saying goodbye to us in those moments. when we laid back down we became restlessness and couldn’t fall back asleep so within 25 mins of laying back down we were up and that’s when I called her name and turned on the light and found her passed away she was 105 yrs old in human years. My boyfriend and I are devastated. Azlyns younger pet sibling Sugar whom is a American pitty mix is also mourning the lose of her sister. she now lays curled up on Azlyns bed and it just breaks our hearts. We comfort her and take time with her so she knows she’s not alone. one day I hope to write a children’s book in her honor and i believeit will also help our 7 yr old cope with her loss as well if we write it together.. I have two stepdaughters they are 7 and 15yrs old. My boyfriend and I called the oldest unsure of how to handle it at first. We made the decision to tell her first and give her an option to break the news to her little sister so she wouldn’t be surprised when she came back to visit and she agreed. When they visit next week we will all have a funeral for Azlyn at her beautiful grave in our yard with the girls and mourn her loss together. We will celebrate her life and be grateful that Azlyn is in good hands knowing that she not only has God Taking of her but Betty White is also in heaven taking care of her.
Dear Melissa,
I am sorry for your loss of Azlyn. What a blessing her passing was peaceful, and she was home with those she loved most. The celebration of life you have planned for this week sounds lovely. Praying for comfort and peace for your family. ♥
Don’t be your blessed that you did t have to make the decision I have to do today hardest thing I ve had to make the session to do my caviler King Charles Toby has CHF and he is progressioing I’m a wreck right now watching him cough and taking meds to be comfortable is awful this is the first dog that’s mine and loves me and I have to say good bye he is going on 3 years since diagnosed 2!years on pimbntin 2 months with furosemide and one with b can’t remember the name he is 14 and my best friend!
Dear Mark,
I am so sorry Toby is not doing well, and you are facing a difficult decision about his quality of life. Praying for comfort and peace for your heart. Bless you and your sweet boy.
My 12 year old pointer/boxer rescue was panting a lot heavier than normal about two weeks ago. I took him to the vet and he was diagnosed with heart failure. I can’t get him to eat and giving him his meds is hard. He’s puking every night and has the runs. I’m so sad. He’s laying by my side right now, but I know he’s dying. I had to put my other baby down one year ago. This is the hardest.
Dear Jessica,
My heart aches for you as you prepare to say goodbye to your beloved boy. I understand the mixed emotions and how hard it is to choose when to let go. I pray you will know when is best to offer your pup peace and rest. Wishing you strength and comfort for your heart. ♥
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so two days ago i lost my sweet Chihuahua Little Bit. I took him to the vet to get his nails clipped and to check out a small cough he. the vet said he had a bad trachea and about a stage 4 heart murmur. he seemed fine to me but she prescribed him Cortamine-P w/Prednisolone. After maybe a week at most he got real bad early in the morning coughing non stop and not being able to get comfortable and he was going in and out i tried to save him but no luck. he was never like this before being on those meds. Did the medication kill my dog, or what is just his heart. I’m so confused and sad and angry and not sure if i should have just kept him off the meds.
Hi Zachary,
My heart goes out to you on the sudden loss of your sweet Little Bit. It is understandable to wonder why happened and wish things could have turned out differently. I didn’t examine him initially or see him when he was declining, but based on your description, it does sound like he may have gone into rapid and severe heart failure. Sometimes one of the “straps” that holds a valve down can break (Chordae tendineae rupture) when a dog already has degenerative changes in the heart valve due to valvular disease. Unfortunately when that happens, it can cause be life-threatening. It could have been something completely different with the heart as well, but I think it is unlikely that the medication had anything to do with his death. I hope that in time you can release yourself from any guilt you are feeling and know you did everything you could for him. May his memory be a comfort in this time of loss.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Many years ago the same happened to our old labrador Jess. We had decided it was time to say goodbye. A heartbreaking decision at 14 years of age but her heart was failing and she’d started falling. However, our vet persuaded us to put her on heart medication. The next morning she greeted us and seemed to have more energy and I felt terrible thinking I had been ready to end her days with us. However, within the hour it was apparent something was very wrong, heavy panting, restlessness, her eyes fearful, and then it was as if she was beginning to panic. We rushed her back to the vet with her medication. I’m sorry, he said, you were right, it is time for her to be euthanised. I will take back the medication and credit you next time you come in. Jess passed peacefully in my arms and we never went back there again. We moved to another vet. Here I am 40 years later with another of my beautiful dogs going through heart failure. She is only 12 but I have vowed not to have her medicated.when she gets any worse. We will allow her to pass peacefully surrounded by those who love her. We only have 2 dogs now, with my husband and I nearing our 80s, they are our last 2 dogs and tbere will be no more. I cannot bear leaving one behind so the least we can do is to make sure they pass peacefully. I don’t think we will be far behind them. I have never lived a life without dogs and hope they will all be waiting when we join them.
Dear G.,
My heart goes out to you with the loss of your Labrador, Jess. It doesn’t matter how much time passes; the absence of a beloved pup is felt forever. I pray you will know when the time is right to say goodbye to your last two pups. Make the most of the time you are gifted, and I wish you joy and happiness along the way. ♥
My chihuahua dachshund mix Toby has CHF and is struggling some days. But I just came to say, vetmedin is a damn miracle drug. He was fainting on every walk, and vetmedin has completely changed him. He also takes enalipril and furosemide. It’s been 8 months. I know it will get worse. But for now. Those medications are amazing. Just wanted to make sure others hear of these meds.
Hi Shane,
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that Vetmedin has made such a miraculous difference for Toby! Thanks so much for sharing his story and your experience with these medications so that other dog parents can hopefully feel more confident trying them for their dogs. I agree that they can really make a huge difference in some cases, and I’m so glad his was one of them. I hope Toby has many more wonderful months with you!
You are right! My dog is 13 years old and when I first took her to the vet he said she had less than 10 days to live. He prescribed for her Vetmedin, Furosemide, Vetprofen, and Enalipril The medication worked great for seven months, but now she has trouble breathing, not eating much, sleeping all the time and extremely weak. It is hard to watch her like this.. I pray that she goes peacefully in her sleep. I’m constantly checking on her to see if she is breathing. I hate that there is nothing I can do. She’s had a great life, but I hate to see her go! She is part of the family. She’s been with me and my husband our entire marriage. She’s our baby!
Dear Tammy,
I am sorry your girl’s health is starting to decline, and she is nearing her final days. Praying you will know when the time is right to offer her a peaceful passing and spare her from unnecessary suffering. Wishing you comfort and strength. Bless you and your sweet pup. ♥
This is exactly how I was with my baby in her last days of life with CHF. Would wake up out of my sleep to constantly check on her because she was coughing so badly. One morning she woke up screaming in agony and she did it twice that’s when we knew she gave us her sign… 2/23/26 I will never forget.
Dear Alaya,
I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved girl. May her memory be with you always. Bless you. ♥
I took Maggie to the vet three months ago because she was swollen. An x-ray revealed Maggie had an enlarged heart. She was prescribed Lasix for the swelling and two other meds for the heart. Her swelling went down a little bit in a month she started swelling again. The vet increased Lasix and said to prepare myself because if this doesn’t work there is one other diuretic to try but we are coming to the end soon. The Lasix made her incontinent at night so we would get up every 3 hours to urinate. She would not wear a diaper. Two months later at 1am she collapsed while I was taking her to pee. and she couldn’t get up. she peed on herself. After 10 minutes she got back up and I got her cleaned and back inside. I took that as my sign. her breathing while at rest was high at 60 breaths per minute. she painted constantly. her abdomen was swollen. so on Monday I took her to vet and put her to sleep. But I feel so guilty because I think I gave up too soon. I got scared she was going to pass out and have a horrible, long death like my friends dog. But I think she could have made it another week or so. she was still eating and pooping and loving. I’m so sad and keep apologizing to her.
Dear Travis,
I am sorry for your loss of Maggie. It is normal to ponder the “what ifs” while grieving but don’t let guilt weigh you down. You absolutely did the right thing by offering your girl peace and sparing her from unnecessary suffering. I am certain she knew how much she was loved. May her memory stay with you always. Bless you.
Hi, my little Jack Russell wired hair cross Lucy is 12 years old had we have been dealing with her Heart Failure since January this year, the medication has lost its effectiveness and she is now struggling to do any physical exertion, is having seizures loss of appetite and respiratory distress in the evenings. I am thankful we had these extra months with her But seeing her deteriorate has made us all very sad. I have decided it is time for her to be at peace and will be euthanizing in three days.
I really appreciate all of the sharing of your stories and send out my heartfelt condolences to the loss of your fur babies, it is the hardest decision to make to end her life, but i know it is the right time for her peace.
Dear Sandra,
I am sorry Lucy’s health is failing, and you are having to make this difficult decision about her quality of life. I am certain she knows how much you love her and am glad you can offer her peace and freedom from her struggles. Wishing you strength and comfort. Bless you both. ♥
My 14 yo Shoodle Ewok has been on medication for CHF for quite a few years. Last week his breathing was more rapid and he had a fainting spell. The vet upped his medication to clear the fluid from his lungs. His breathing became stable but he was refusing to eat and even with more medication to get him to eat it didn’t work. This morning*4th August 2025 he had another fainting spell after he went to the toilet. he is very unsettled at night time with a lot of walking around and winning. I have made the extremely hard decision that he will be put to sleep on the 5th August 2025 before he gets any worse. I just hope it is the right decision and he knows that I love him and I’m sorry I couldn’t save him
Dear Julie,
My heart aches for you with your recent loss of Ewok. You made a selfless decision to offer your sweet boy peace and freedom from his struggles. I am certain he knew how much he was loved and that he lived a wonderful life by your side. May his memory stay with you always and continue to be a blessing in your life.
thank you for sharing. I’m reading up on things so I can prepare for that day for my miniature poodle Blackie. I rescued him about 2/3 yrs ago from a woman who had to go to nursing home. we have just started heart meds 2 wks ago. He is in stage 3, hes blind. 1 eye might have a bit of sight. I love him so much but will do my best to keep these things Im reading in mind. Im sorry for the loss of your baby.
Dear Sharma,
Wishing you comfort and peace as you navigate this emotional path. Bless you and your sweet boy, Blackie. ♥
my boy Fletch has mitral valve disease and he just went into chf on the weekend . I rushed him to the emergency vets 9.30 Friday night he was in an oxygen tank until Saturday afternoon and on morphine and loads of drugs . I brought him home on Saturday night and we had a peaceful nights sleep. I’ve taken time of work to care for him. Sunday he pretty much slept all day, last night was restless I had to get him up a few times to have a drink and pee because of the frusamide. today I’ve been on edge freaking out if he pants praying he will just rest. tomorrow we go back for a vet follow up. I’m so anxious and constantly listening to his breathing. he’s a 10 year old chihuahua.
Dear Michelle,
I am so sorry Fletch is experiencing these worsening heart disease symptoms. I understand your concern and worry for your beloved boy. Hoping your vet will have some ideas of ways to improve his condition and help him maintain his quality of life for a while longer. Wishing you both comfort and strength as you walk this unknown path. ♥