how long is the prognosis for this condition

Hi, my retriever mix got suddenly sick a few weeks ago wheezing and fast breathing, hes been on lasix and predisone since still not got any better, had xrays and bloodwork done today showing enlarged heart and lung disease hes on lasix predisone and vetimed? a heart med, my vet was vague about how long we have left so my question is how long on average do dogs last with this condition? thanks

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

This is a difficult question to answer without seeing your dog in person for an office visit.  It would be best if your dog were to be seen by a veterinary cardiologist and have an echocardiogram.  X-Rays are good for lung disease, but an echocardiogram is really the best way to assess the heart.  Vetmedin is a great drug and has been shown to help increase life span in patients with cardiac disease as compared to equivalent patients not given vetmedin.