HELP! The Vets are Clueless. My dog can't BREATHE!

I'm so beyond frustrated.  Last year, I spent $4K and the doctors still don't know what's wrong with my girl.

She's 12, Has very labored breathing at nights (enough so that I worry every night will be her last).

I'm so angry at all the vet charges and NO answers. None.  Not even a hint.  They tried doing a "tie back" surgery which didn't take.  They xrayed.  They scoped.  They probed.

Problem is... she only does this at night after she's totally relaxed.  So, the vet can't actually *see* her behavior!  At one time they insisted she was probably snoring.

Another time, they told me it was bronchitis.  Uh, hello?  Bronchitis does NOT last for a year and a half.  Doesn't only happen at night, and she DOESN'T have a fever.

The last time I took her in, they scoped her again and said they didn't see anything again.  No trachea probs, No esophageal problems, The xrays show good heart and lungs.

Of course, let's tack on another $500 to the $4K for that information.

Guys, I need help and I need it quick, or this dog (my best friend) will die a very scary death.  

Here's my latest thought.  Perhaps she has the same thing I do only with different symptoms.  At nights, I get acid reflux sometimes so badly it feels like a heart attack.  I'm having to stay on Prilosec for that.  Does anyone out there have a clue whether her breathing could be an esophageal spasm that only happens at night?  If this is a possibility, I could try some antacids.

Thanks.

[arachnaphob]

If you think it could be reflux, perhaps you can treat her for it and see if it helps. Try feeding her earlier, raising the end of her bed or basket that she uses for her head (so that the food won't come back up) this might even help with the breathing even if it's heart or lung related. My vet said they use Zantac on dogs in their clinic but I don't know what kind of dose. Some of those tablets can be dangerous. Is she overweight? Losing weight might help. Also feeding her with her bowl above her head so that the food is helped down by gravity. (she has to stand on her back legs, if she can do this)

I don't understand why she hasn't been under observation in a vet hospital overnight, so this can be monitored. After spending $4K I would be very angry that this hadn't been done. If she did this in hospital, then they could do the tests when she was displaying the symptoms.

Unfortunately, vet medicine (like human medicine) sometimes just can't find the answers.

It's horrible when the pet you love is sick and you feel helpless.  I hope you find the answer soon.

Chirley

[katew888]

Can you try videotaping the episode to show your vets?  I do this with my epileptic dog when he has seizures and my vets learn SO much more from those than just my descriptions.

Good luck.

[poetess]

First, Chirley,

Thanks so much for the little tidbits of info... I actually tried last night to have her and her sister sleep in a comfy pet crate (figured maybe give her an alternative to sleeping on my bed and that might help), it didn't.  I *have* tried lifting her head up on a pillow before without much luck.  I've also tried propping her up in between two pillows so she's more or less vertical.  That, also, hasn't helped.  

She could stand to lose a little weight, though she's not as obese as some of the dachshunds I've seen.  

She *has* been overnight at the vets, but they claim they don't see the symptoms.  My guess is that she doesn't sleep much at the vets and never relaxes to the point of having the breathing issue.  That, or the staff just aren't watching closely.

I will try your tip about putting her bowl above her head (good tip, by the way).

Kate,

One specialist asked me to do this, but the problem is... once you get a videocam (I don't have one anyway), but once you get one out, she's awakened, and sits up... no more breathing issue.  I was able to leave an audio recorder on one night, but that's when the vet said it "sounded like snoring to her."

Snoring wouldn't scare me.  This does... and it's getting so much worse.  I sleep very little anymore because her breathing is so loud and labored and because I'm trying to readjust her sleeping conditions to try and find *something* that works.  So far, nothing has.  :(

Thanks to both of you for your kindness.

[ginger899]

One thought that might go nowhere....is there anything in the room where she sleeps -an air-freshener/cleaning product residue/tobacco smoke/woodsmoke/any other thing....that might cause this? Does she sleep where there is a gas central heating boiler that might need checking for carbon monoxide? Even perfume in that room might affect her breathing??? Dogs are a bit like people about these things. Some are not affected by all the things we have around us in our lives, and some are strongly affected.
Maybe I am far off the mark. Never mind. Just thought I'd throw this idea in.

[Jaybay]

One way to determine if allergies are the culprit is to try benadryl.  The dose is 1 mg per pound of the dog's body weight.  Make sure it's just plain benadryl (diphenhydramine) with no other substances like a decongestant.  

If you've been seeing the same vet all this time, find a new one.  Sometimes you just need a different set of eyes on a problem to get an answer.  In my opinion, those fees sound pretty darn steep.  My vet charges all of $25 for an x-ray.  He makes sure his medications are charged at the lowest rate on the internet because he wants to ensure that the animals actually come in for an exam.  No office visit charge either.  We've used this practice for 18 years and they've been great.  Low fees do not equal shoddy care.

Ginger brings up a really good point about environmental problems.  Since dogs are lower on the ground, they will sometimes get nailed with things we humans escape because we are off the floor.  In addition to what ginger mentioned, think about what products you use on your flooring and bedding.  It may be as simple as changing them.

If you haven't already posted on the Ask a Vet forum here at Med Help, please post your question there.  I think there's a 4 per day limit, so keep on trying if you don't get in.  I'm sure Dr. Cheng will have some ideas for you to look into.