Regarding the breathing issue, my vet told me recently that she sometimes sees dogs with seasonal allergies or dust allergies, and they can have breathing problem from that. Tess is going in for an ultrasound and consult with a cardio in a week, and they will be listening to her lungs. In the past year and a half, Ive gotten one Golden, then another, and I've had a hard time keeping the dust under control. They track it in from the back yard. So I'm hoping the breathing troubles Tess is having is in fact from dust and not the MVD. You might ask your friend to be sure Kennedy's vet has considered allergies as a source of the trouble.