Today I took my lab in to the vets for his monthly zycortal injection (he has addisons) only to be told he has developed a heart murmur. Now I have to decide if we go further with treatment or let nature take its course. He’s 2mths off 13yrs, full of lumps n bumps and his back end is flaky. Not to mention the addisons.
I’m thinking get the initial investigations done to see what type of murmer, all I know is it’s 2/6 and wasn’t there before Christmas. I’ve had 2 cats and a dog with DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy) before, the cats ... BAM, 10yrs, threw a clot and gone in 3hrs even with emergency tx. Other cat, 4yrs, a meep and fell dead at my feet. The lurcher lived around another 18mths with her DVM and meds but she was only 9yrs when it was discovered. My current boy is already over the average age of 11.77yrs by quite a margin and I’m really wondering if letting nature take its course is the best thing. Fingers crossed it’s just old boy heart and he’ll carry on ok.
Sad, yes. I find it easier the older they are though as I feel they’ve had a good life. Will miss him when it’s time though, he has been THE BEST dog ever, and I’ve had a lot of dogs over the years. Kinda wish I’d bred him so I could keep a pup, but hey, that ship sailed a long time ago. He’s the last of the litter, all the others, brothers, sisters went some time ago. Keep everything crossed peeps that it’s something but nothing.
