About a month ago, our 11 year old rescue neapolitan began to breathe more rapidly and his pulse quickened too. There were no other obvious symptoms, apart from walking a bit slower, he ate and drank as normal, his breathing wasn't laboured, no cough. A vet visit showed a small amount of fluid on his lungs and he was put on antibiotics.After the course he seemed slighly improved but his breathing and pulse haven't dropped to his normal one.
Last couple of days his breathing is again becoming more rapid. So, he is booked in to see a vet next week but will take him in sooner if necessary.
Having fear aggression vet visits are traumatic for him, and being elderly, we do not want to put him through lots of treatments that wont improve his quality of life.
Anyone have any ideas what may be amiss? I know its not much to go on! The vet said the next step would be a heart scan but he would probably need sedating for that, so Im not sure.

I think your doing rather well to have a Neo live to 11, and this may simply be part of him aging.

It does sound like his heart, but the vet should have been able to pick up something with a stethoscope.

Fluid on the lungs usually goes with congestive heart failure.

I've had a couple of dogs that needed heart scans, and they needed sedation definitely.  I have a bitch that has furosemide daily, and that helped her breathing a great deal, as she lost loads of fluid initially.  She could have peed for England.  The dose has gradually been lowered. .  My vet won't give me an idea of how long she can go on.  But I just love her every day. 

I agree that it sounds like heart probs for your boy.   But they can definitely make him more comfortable, however long he has.

I know 11years is good for a large breed, but we want them to live as long as possible don't we?! but wouldn't want him suffering. The vet only picked up the fluid and said he would need a scan for anything more. They are a good practice and know (and even love!) our dog :) It did sound like congestive heart failure to me too but I was wondering if that would have come on so quickly? If not heart failure could it be cardiomyopathy? Not that that is any better!

No expert but I would have thought there would be heart sounds by stethoscope with either, which might suggest further investigations.

Not sure how suddenly symptoms can show, but I believe like my own breed mollossers can be very stoic, so not show they are unwell.

Yes we would like to keep our friends much longer, having lost one of mine at 11,  which is early for our breed, with no warning or sign of anything amiss, it is very hard.

It seemed to happen overnight. He snores VERY loudly and this particular night his snoring was very rapid. The next day we noticed his breathing and heart rate were faster than normal too. He may have had underlying symptoms for a while but nothing visible to us. Anyway, we have brought forward his appointment and he's booked in for tomorrow, dont want to leave it until next week as his appetite has now diminished and his food is very important to him! He also didnt have his walk this morning and didnt even seem to be bothered that our other dog went without him.

I hope all goes well, but that was how my Kizi went just before 14. 

It can come on very quickly.

She had been absolutely fine but was sick after eating windfall apples in the garden.  thought nothing of it on the Thursday when she didn't eat her supper, but still came out for her walk with the others. 

Friday she refused food again, so didn't take her out, by that evening I suspected something was very wrong.  Saturday morning pee, her urine was very concentrated, and she wouldn't drink, (we were syringing water into her mouth).  Called the vet for appointment

She was PTS that evening when she had slipped into unconsciousness, after showing the racing heart and heavy breathing during the afternoon.  The way the other dogs were acting told me how serious things were.  They would tiptoe around her, sniffing her gently.

Now you have posted more symptoms, it is beginning to sound very familiar. My last dog was diagnosed with an enlarged heart (dilated cardiomyopathy? Am I right with that?) when she was about 11. The meds she was prescribed were really good and she had a further very good three years, much to the vets amazement. However just before last Christmas she began to go off her food, which given her breed, was noticeable, and her breathing rate became more rapid, something like 36 breaths a minute when at rest. The vet tried various treatments with her over a couple of weeks, but the end was enivitable. Once she started to refuse food and this rapid breathing started, we knew the time had come. The life had gone from her and she wasn't our girl anymore.
My thoughts are with you.

Bugger that made me cry! There is another symptom I forgot. Snuffly nose, sounds like he has a cold. I think that and the fluid made the vet think it was possibly an infection. I may suggest diuretics if they are not offered.
Must admit he has been looking older the last few months, he also has old man's hump, you know where the spine starts to show in the middle regardless of weight. Our two staffies had it.
We should expect this anyway, we only rescue the big, old ones! Our other dog is completely unaware, but saying that he loves her company but she would be an only dog and be happy.

Lets hope that something can be done to give a little more quality time, and if not a peaceful end.

>she wasn't our girl anymore

Whew,, brought a lump to my throat.

It's why my old Beardie girl has left me.  She was 14, so not bad for a large breed.  But I wasn't ready to let her go.  There wasn't a choice though.  She wasn't my girl anymore, as you say.  God it hurts.

Just back from the vet. We saw a different one who found some hardness round the liver area. Went through everything it might be again and vet seemed to think it may be heart or liver related. Did a blood test which we waited for results of and kidneys and liver seem normal. Heart still a maybe but way down the list now. He thinks it might be a tumour on the spleen. So Ted is booked in on Tuesday for a scan.
Either they find nothing, they find a 'clean' tumour and operate or they find a tumour which has spread.
I wasn't expecting that.

I'm so sorry, it doesn't matter how old they are, that sort of news is always a hard blow.

The old girl that I lost on 30/12/12 had her spleen and tumour removed very successfully in the summer of 2006.  So you can have a long lived dog after this operation.  So I have my fingers crossed for you.  :-)

Thank you for all the replies.
We took Ted for his scan Tuesday. From the Friday visit to the Tuesday he more visibly went downhill. We had a phone call in the afternoon and a long conversation on all the different scenarios from there. They had found a huge mass which was pushing in to the abdomen. We eventually phoned them back to tell them we would go back to say goodbye. I am sure, well almost, in this case we did the right thing. Run free Ted and know you were much loved xxxxxxx

I'm so sorry to read this. Run free Ted, free from pain. x

Aww so sorry to read your sad news - thinking of you

I am sorry, and for what it's worth, I think you made the right, compassionate choice .

So sorry to hear of your loss. 

You didn't let him suffer,  and sometimes that's the only choice.    

Run free beautiful boy.

>I am sure, well almost, in this case we did the right thing.

100% you did.  You took away his pain and made it yours.  The biggest gift we can give. 

{{{{  HUGS  }}}}

Sorry for your loss, but you did what was best for him.

Words seem meaningless at a time like this but take comfort that you did the best thing for him, he is free from pain. I hope you can look back on many happy times you shared together xx