This is a **tough** time of year for lung-compromised dogs in Flooor-daa! (I live here -- up just above Orlando). Today you go outside and it feels like you've inhaled a steam oven.
The very*first* thing I'll suggest is Co-Q-10. Now that's not a lung thing, it's a heart thing, but it actually helps get oxygen TO the cells -- b/c when the lungs aren't working properly the heart can't work properly, but Co-Q-10 can just help make what IS being done easier.'
The other thing I discovered that helped Ms. Socks was TCVM -- traditional Chinese veterinary medicine. She was a 10 1/2 year old boxer-pit mix we took years ago who was majorly HUGELY heartworm positive -- we treated her the 'slow' way because the immiticide would have killed her, BUT altho she survived her heart and lungs were horribly damaged -- she had holes in her lungs the size of ping pong balls and those used to fill with fluid all the time.
HOWEVER -- she lived another 6 years with us, very very happily And she would have very proudly told you that she did *not* die of heart or lung problems "So THERE!". She knew she was different -- and like your dog she LIVED for those small moments she could play ball or Frisbee (and a couple of fetches were ALL she could do at a time but oh my -- those were worth living for!!) She also took tons of heart meds -- and was incontinent b/c of them but happily wore bitches britches with continence pads in them. She was a therapy dog and the folks at the alzheimer's home just thot she was the bees knees because she wore 'diapers' like they did.
But yes, Ms. Socks got TCVM. There were several herbs she took for her heart and lungs that helped keep the lungs dry and uninflamed. Acupuncture was an incredible help for her as well.
If you go to http://www.tcvm.com - The Chi Institute, which we Floridians are really fortunate is based up in Reddick, FL (near the University -- Dr. Xie and many of the faculty of the Institute are also vets at the UF Teaching Hospital & Vet School). There is a locator on the left -- and I think you'll be surprised how many are in your area.
Now honestly -- I'm not familiar ...*I don't think* with anyone specifically down in Lauderdale ... I know a ton of the TCVM vets in Florida, but not there specifically. But I would tell you to call ALL the vets on that list that comes up. In fact, if you'll email me I'll tell you how I've learned to pick someone from that long list. But mostly I'm going to tell you to avoid the one or two lone vets who are part of a BIG vet practice but is the one who "does the holistic stuff". You want someone who has practiced for years, and who may not be the owner of a huge facility, but rather chooses to keep their practice small and dedicated TO just TCVM.
I'm not suggesting you leave your regular vet. NO NO NO -- rather most TCVM vets actually consider themselves "complimentary therapy" -- therapy that works WITH a regular vet. You'll find most of them don't do surgery, don't give vaccines, but rather they have their hands full just doing TCVM. It's not uncommon to find a 2 week (or longer) waiting period to get a dog IN to a good TCVM vet.
The initial appointment is likely going to be $200 or better -- but you'll spend like 90 minutes (typically -- sometimes a bit more or less) WITH the vet. That will include treatment. They'll gladly look at any x-rays, bloodwork, etc. you may bring them but they won't 'test'.
The exam the dog gets will be in front of you and it will be unlike anything you've ever seen -- much of the exam involves feeling the pulse points thru the body to see how blood is distributed and how freely and well it is moving thru the tissues. The point of acupuncture is simply to stimluate the electrical stream (or Qi - say "chee";) thru the body and open up blockages where blood and oxygen aren't reaching or where inflammation threatens.
Given where you are, you *can* actually visit the Chi Institute. If you email Barbara and ask, sometimes they are doing clinics (literally where vets fly in from all over the US, Canada and points further in the world) of veterinary training and sometimes you can get fortunate and find your dog is something they particularly need as an example. Slr2meg - PIrate's Mom -- has been able to have Pirate evaluated that way (she's near Smyrna).
I've used TCVM for my dogs for about 7-8 years now. In fact, because of Dr. Clemmons (who is one of the faculty who is also the head neurosurgeon at UF Gainesville) he got ME to go for acupuncture several years ago and I have found it to be awesome for ME.
There are a million other things but not knowing specifically what complaints he has right now it's tough to say.
Now the OTHER thing I would highly recommend (and I'd have to talk to you further to really know which of these might benefit more) is homotoxicology. You've likely never heard of it, and honestly it's pretty cutting edge stuff. It is sort of a "wedding" of acupuncture and homeopathy but where they create a specific 'serum' for each unique dog out of that dog's own blood. It's not unlike allergy shots **except** rather than trying to 'deaden' the dog's sensitivity to certain things (which is what allergy shots do) it uses the genetic material in just one drop of the dog's blood to create a map for the body of "things wrong' in the body to fix.
To make that make more sense for you I'd have to explain homeopathy to you which would make this way longer than it already is. But feel free to contact me.
http://www.holisticvetlist.com/
That link is the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Assn. page where I've put in "Florida" arranged by Zip code. Under 'modalities' look for "HMTX" (short for "homotox";) -- we are again really fortunate in Florida to have Dr. Joe Demers (who isn't even listed because he's retired) who teaches that process all over the US.
But for dogs who are literally critically ill all the time -- particularly with respect to deep seated illness from years ago like your dog -- it can be awesome.
My Billy and Tinkerbell get homotox treatments and wow -- the results have been phenomenal. Billy had IMHA (immune-mediated hemolytic anemia) 3 years ago and was on the huge toxic steroid-like drugs (several of them for EIGHTEEN months). The drugs saved his life, but left him unbelievably compromised and unwell. And in the past 18 months after treatment I HAVE MY DOG BACK!!!
So much so that I now have switched and go to an acupuncturist who also dose homotox for humans. So once again, I can testify it really helps with deep-seated illness.
Sorry -- this is rather a lot but feel free to contact me if I can help more.