My dog with lung cancer is struggling to breathe. ER or wait?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am so sorry to hear about Bizou! Unfortunately, if he is in congestive heart failure, the only treatment is the lasix pill (furosemide). Depending on how severe his condition is, he may not survive without hospitalization with oxygen and injectible lasix. Your vet may have a strong suspicion of this if Bizou has a heart murmur and many crackles in the lungs (we can hear with the stethoscope). However, even that is not enough to definitively diagnose it. I have seen a couple dogs I was sure were in heart failure and when I took the x-rays, it turned out to be pneumonia or cancer. If you can at all afford it, go for the xrays so you at least know what you are dealing with - if it's cancer instead of heart failure, that may change your approach. If it is heart failure, it will give a clue as to how serious. If you can't afford the x-rays, treat for whatever the vet thinks is most likely. If heart failure is it, the most commonly prescribed medications are furosemide, enalapril, and pimobendan (though there are others). Finally, if he is still struggling for air, his tongue/gums are any color other than bright pink, or the vet thinks it is serious enough to require oxygen, and you cannot pay for treatment, I would strongly consider euthanasia. Dying by gasping and struggling for air while drowning in your own fluids is a horrible way to go - I've seen it several times. Please feel free to reach out to me via consultation if you'd like to to have a more detailed conversation with you. Best wishes to you and Bizou.

Poor girl. : ( Tumor can develop at any rate in pets so yes 6 months is plenty of time for a tumor to develop and show up. However, if there is a lot of fluid there, a tumor may not be readily visible on an x-ray. A CT or MRI scan is more sensitive to picking up small tumors or tumors that are obscured by fluid. A lung tumor or advancement of her heart condition are two likely possibilities to these symptoms. We have to keep in mind that heart disease can't be cured but only managed to a certain point with medication. It is possible that these symptoms are simply an indication that the heart condition may have surpassed medical management capabilities. If you are however still looking for options and cannot commit to advanced imaging (CT, MRI scan), then you can inquire with your vet about possibly increaseing China's medications. Lasix has a wide range of therapeutic index so it may be able to be increased. Another heart medication called Pimobendan also can be added to her treatment regimen. I am not sure if you meant to include this with your list of medications, b/c one of the medications seems to have been autocorrected to say "veterinary". Best of luck with your pet China and I hope that you can get her stabilized soon! Take care.

Oh no! This sounds very serious and the Lasix alone probably isn't enough to control her symptoms. If she is this sick you should definitely take Roxy back in to the vet to perhaps up her dose of Lasix (there is often a wide range that you can give pets until symptoms resolve) or give her actual heart medication. If the heart is not addressed directly (with medications), then no matter how much Lasix you give, the lungs will continue to fill with fluid due to the direct relationship that is shared between the heart and lungs. This website link discusses the use of both Lasix and heart medications (Enalapril) together in pets with signs of congestive heart failure, which is likely Roxy's condition. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=537

Yes, you can give another dose of the salix to try to help. If this does not show any improvement I would encourage you to find any vet that can you in as you may need injectable medication and oxygen therapy to help

Hello, thank you for your question about Lily. Based on the symptoms you are describing it sounds like Lily may have an upper respiratory infection or other respiratory disease. If Lily is otherwise acting ok (not lethargic) and is still eating and drinking well I do not think there is a problem in waiting to see the vet until tomorrow. If Lily is very lethargic, has no appetite, or she begins to breath very rapidly or have difficulty I would strongly recommend trying to have her seen by a veterinarian sooner. Based on Lily's symptoms your veterinarian may recommend performing chest x-rays, bloodwork, or a respiratory swab for testing. Hope this helps, good luck!

Anabelle shouldn't wait until Monday to see a veterinarian. Not going to the vet may be riskier than transport if she has fluid buildup from her CHF. It may begin to affect her breathing which could make it a serious emergency. Legally, we are prohibited from recommending doses in the absence of a physical exam and a VPCR (veterinarian-patient-client relationship). If possible contact your veterinarian and ask, then medicate her as per your doctor and take her in.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Gelly is breathing heavier today - it is possible she is currently in congestive heart failure, meaning she has fluid building up in her lungs. If she is currently receiving Lasix (Furosemide), you can probably give her another dose of that and see if this helps. If she is still breathing rapidly and with abdominal effort, I recommend having her evaluated by a veterinarian right away. If she is unable to get the fluid off of her lungs, she will be unable to oxygenate her blood and can go into respiratory arrest and die. I hope this is helpful!