My lab had something similar to what yours has. Her bark was hoarse and she would wheeze, snore and occasionally have stridor. These symptoms were more severe during very cold or hot days. We fed ours dry dog food and put a little water in her food to help her eat and kept her weight down to help her out. She lived to be 14 but I had to put her down last Thursday as her hind legs gave out. I feel for ya man, this is a shitty position to be in. Personally, I would not put my 12 year old dog through surgery and I would also get a second opinion from a different vet as I trust them as much as a politician. I'm not a vet, but another thing that MIGHT help during one of her episodes is to get her into the bathroom and run a hot shower. The steam may help her breathe a little easier. Similar to treating a kid with croup. This is assuming that she's not afraid of the shower or baths. If so, maybe a humidifier will help? Other than that, lots of love and treats for your buddy and enjoy the time you have with her. Good luck to you.
Here's an old phrase that helped put things into perspective for me:
"Three years a young dog, three years a good dog, three years an old dog ... all else a gift from God"
Here's an old phrase that helped put things into perspective for me:
"Three years a young dog, three years a good dog, three years an old dog ... all else a gift from God"
