10 year old Golden Retriever

Question
We have a 10 year old golden, his hips are going and we have him on medication.  Within the last 4-6 months he has started to pant heavily at times.  His gums are pink.  He will just start to breathe really heavy and pant. Our vet said that he is old for a golden and that this could be the beginning of heart problems.
He still has spurts of energy so we are reluctant to put him down.  
He sleeps all the time.
I look forward to any feedback regarding this issue.
Thank you.

Answer
Hi Angela-

I'm sorry to hear your baby's health is starting to slide. 10 years old is a good age for a golden, and definitely a senior, but it doesn't mean he doesn't have a few years left.

I adopted my last golden retriever when he was 10 years old, and exhibiting minor heart failure problems. He lived another 6 years before his heart finally gave out.

The decision to euthenize your baby is one that no one can offer any real help on. It is YOUR decision and you are the only one who can adequately measure your dogs quality of life. If you think he is still happy and has the will to try and live (usually defined by a dog that will walk under his own power, eat, drink, and wag tail etc) then monitoring his quality of life is certainly an acceptable thing to do.

I do have a couple of questions for you: Have they definitively diagnosed him with CHF? Have they done an EKG, x-ray and blood pressure test? Has his thyroid and kidney been examined? Did your vet prescribe anything like nitroglycerin paste or a diuretic? Is your dog current on HW prevention and tests, and are you positive it is not Heartworms?

If indeed it is CHF, I would suggest a couple of things. First, you need to sit down with your vet and discuss medical options. Usually a nitroglycerin paste, a diuretic to prevent water and salt retention, and an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor such as Benazepril are prescribed for home care. I worry about his pale gums and the idea that he is already having severe circulation problems and is not getting enough oxygen. When he came into the vets, did they treat him with oxygen, or perform a thoracocentesis to remove some of the extra fluid around the lungs to let him breathe easier?
That could be the first step to letting him feel a lot better. Just like in humans, difficulty breathing is a serious ailment and should be treated as quickly as possible when it presents.

He should be put on a diet to keep his salt intake down, and to keep him as trim and healthy as possible. The least amount of fat he has to carry around, the better. High heat and humidity needs to be avoided at all cost. Walk him in the early morning and evening when it is nice and cool out, if possible. Avoid too much excitement and activity, and try for low impact play.

It is very possible for your golden to have a happy and enjoyable few more years with his family, so long as you work with your vet to give him a medicine regiment, diet and schedule to allow his heart to work at its maximum capacity.

Good luck with your baby, I hope he feels better soon!