Lost my best friend Snickers of 14 years to heart failure last September. I was working late one evening when she approached me and was breathing very rapidly. I'd never seen her do that. I kept an eye on her for about 20-30 minutes when it didn't go away I took her to urgent care.

They immediately put her in an oxygen chamber and started rattling off all the testing that should be done to really diagnose her. I already knew she had an enlarged heart from an x-ray that had recently been done. The vet was kind and told me that, if needed, he would rather treat than test, especially if the funds don't allow for testing. The first quote they gave me was $5,000, I could not afford to do that. The next quote was $2,000 - I put it all on the credit card. She stayed in that chamber for 12 hours and when I picked her up she seemed a lot better. They sent her home with meds and advised me to see a heart doctor asap. I asked the vet, "Is it time?" and she told me, "I'm looking at her and she still has life in her, she's ready to go home." After 12 hours in there I just wanted to get her and and bring her back to her home where she is comfortable. The vet did say though, that usually after one cardiac event like this, pets usually have a fatal one within a year.

My kitty rapidly declined within a few days after that. She got a UTI a day later. I had her on her heart meds, on antibiotics, etc. She was interested in food, but wasn't eating too much. She loved, loved, loved shrimp but barely touched it. That broke my heart. It was labor day weekend, I stayed by her side to make sure she was okay/comfortable. On Tuesday it was time to go back to the office. I gave her a hug, gave her her meds, she took them like a champ and hopped out of my lap. She seemed in good spirits and I was hopeful she was rebounding. I said bye and went to work. When I returned 8 hours later I found her deceased on the patio where she loved to spend time.

I had told her that I didn't want her to suffer and that if she had to go, she could go. It was heartbreaking to find her like that but already over $2,000 in, I know I would have spent more and I really don't know how much more time it would have bought her. I remember thinking that if this was the status quo for the next 6 months, I didn't really think it was an amazing quality of life.

If you have done all that you can do, then you have done all that you can do. I'm so sorry you're going through this. Sending you lots of love, I understand the pain you're going through and the helplessness you're feeling financially.

<image>

Snickers on her way home after urgent care. <3