Payton Needs Your Help

[pepper636]

After much in-depth internet questions and answers, it seems that Payton has congestive heart failure. This occurs in dogs who have been heartworm positive. Payton was heartworm positive when I rescued him at 3-1/2 years old. He had the treatment and has been on heartworm preventative ever since.

He is doing OK and does not seem to be in any pain. His episodes have decreased in strength. He just deals with it for a few minutes, and then it is over. They used to last 30 - 40 minutes. We're hoping for the best.

[lizbud]

I am glad he seems to feel some better now. Prayers that he has more
good days than bad. (((Hugs)))

[pepper636]

I'm afraid that Payton is getting worse. He is having more episodes (seizures) again. We started him on a higher dose of Lasix. These seizures take so much out of him. He poops and pees which having the seizure - can't get his breath. It lasts about 30 minutes and then he comes out of it. Wednesday night he stopped breathing. I should have let him go then but I didn't, couldn't. We're going to give the Lasix 1 more day and if he's still bad tonight and tomorrow morning, we're going to send him to the Rainbow Bridge. God, what is this so hard?

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Wish I knew the answer to that one......maybe it's his time to go Bless you Payton

[pitc9]

I'm so sorry to hear about Payton's poor health.

It's so hard to make the decision, but if you listen to him......he'll tell you if he's ready for his trip to the bridge.

{{{HUGS}}}} to you and Payton.

[Catty1]

Hi, sweetie...

from what I understand, the usual life span for a lab/retriever breed is 12 years.

My parent's one golden retriever kept going til 15 - she was in bad shape, but she was the first dog my dad had had in over 20 years...so I think he was putting things off as long as he could. She should have gone before that, perhaps...

The second golden, from the same breeder, developed lymphoma that grew like a fire with gas on it...she was PTS at 11 years.

All I am trying to say is that 12 to 12 1/2 is not young for a lab, sadly. Of course it is sooo hard....we would do anything to help our babies, and it's almost impossible to believe we can't, because we love them so much.

You might try the old standby and ask your vet: "What would you do if it was your dog?"

Like my mom's cat Pyka...we couldn't keep him going and force feeding him just for our sakes...we had to put his life and happiness first.

{{{{hugs}}}}

[pepper636]

Payton has gone to the Bridge. He had a bad Friday; I took off work to spend the day with him. He couldn't even go pee without having a breathing attack. Called the vet Saturday morning. He came to the house at 10:00 a.m. and we sent Payton to the Bridge at 10:15 a.m. It was the most peaceful passing I have seen. I am heartbroken.