<p>If he is drinking and peeing I would be simply worried as opposed to panicky.</p>
<p>I think the important consideration when vets offer tests is to ask what are potential diagnoses and what kinds of likely treatments are there.</p>
<p>Our dog almost died a couple of years ago, the vet was ‘freaked out’ when she got his labs back, one of her offerings was exploratory surgery, but anything she could find out from that would have been so bad that I would not have put him through the surgery or treatment. The vet has to offer you all options, you can ask what you might do with the answers.</p>
<p>Then work backwords in deciding what you would want to do</p>
<p>Our dog passed a few weeks ago. He was refusing food his last night but I was able to get him to eat ice cream. It has calories and might give some nutrition Tramdol and meloxicam helped decrease the dose of torbutrol (oral stadol) which kept him pain free. He was 13 1/2. I wish you the best.</p>
<p>Dogs often pant when they are in pain. Our dog had some kind of back problem that came and went for a few years. After consulting with our vet, my H gave her baby aspirin, which really helped her with pain. I don’t know what kind or how much, but I do remember that dosage must be exact. Dogs can have a bad reaction to too much aspirin. If you google “aspirin dosage for dogs”, there are several links. One caveat is that it can upset dogs’ stomachs and shouldn’t be given on an empty stomach.</p>
<p>What a difference a day makes. Whatever was bothering my dog seems to have gotten much better. Last night he finally ate some chicken. By this morning he was begging for some of my breakfast as usual. Still don’t really know what was going on with him.
Just glad he is better and I guess he isn’t really ready to go yet even though I had a talk with him the other day and told him if he was it was okay with me.</p>
<p>It wouldn’t be uncommon for a pet or person to lose their appetite when ill. If your pet is drinking and urinating normally that is a good sign. Since they can’t talk to us, it is so hard to really know what’s going on with these old guys. I am so glad he is feeling better.</p>
<p>But this gives you a chance now to think “what if…” and decide what you are willing to do/pay for and what you are willing to put him through when he becomes ill again. </p>
<p>We euthanized our beloved 14 year old Golden a few years ago because she was having so many seizures and because her arthritis got so bad that she needed help to stand each morning. It was such an awful decision to make and yet I think it was the right one. I would rather choose a little too early than wait until it’s too late and your pet really suffers.</p>
<p>It sounds like you have thought about the euthanasia question and discussed it with your guy. I wish you luck for the future and send all my sympathy for when the time comes.</p>
<p>ebeee-just now reading about your dog. Glad he is feeling better. When our old lab would get sick I would make up a mixture of boiled chicken, sweet potatoes and rice mixed with cottage cheese and yogurt.</p>
<p>If he is drinking he is good. Give him time, sometimes the dog just does what is natural and stop eating while he has problems. THey can go for days on just water. How’s his pooh? No blood in any stools? Pick up with white paper towel and check his stools when he goes. I have had geriatric cats and dogs and both have gone thru digestive problems and other health issues. The panting might be pain, dogs can take aspirin well. cut the tablet to his body weight. Panting could also be heart trouble, aspirin is good for that as well. At 14 he still has good years to go. Good luck.</p>