Older dog panting

Question
hi..we have a 15 year old border collie who has been panting lately (not all the time) and some coughing. We took him to a vet today who did ECG/Ultrasound/xray and found a mass on his left side,stones in bladder and a problem with his heart valve. He is now suggesting a check of his larynx to determine whether there is a narrowing,if not,then surgery to remove stones and determine what the mass is. The panting isnt continual and we have spent approx $700 so far and having some difficulty with the surgery solution which puts total bill at around $4000. We love our dog and not sure of the recommendation. the dog appears happy,lively,responsive and not sluggish....any suggestions?

Answer
Hi David,

Panting can be caused by so many things.  Fever, pain, anxiety, as well as some medical conditions.  Unfortunately, medicine can not always determine the cause, especially in patients that can not speak and tell us what they are feeling.  

So, as I see it, you have 3 options.  Continue with the surgery.  Which honestly, the stones, even as an incidental finding, need to be taken care of (if it is causing significant pain it could be a source of the panting).  The second option is do nothing.  Which I know is frustrating since you have already spent a significant amount of money to determine the cause of the panting.  Or a third option is seek a second opinion.  If you decide to seek a second opinion I would recommend finding a veterinarian who is a specialist.  There are usually referral centers in most major cities and in veterinary schools around the country.  Look for a veterinarian who has the initials ACVIM behind his or her name and you will have found a board certified veterinary internist.  It never hurts to get more information.

As for the mass, I can not really comment.  Masses run from either the completely benign to the malignant.  Some you leave alone and some you need to remove.  It just depends on the mass.  But this can also be addressed with a second opinion.  

Good Luck to you both