Hi Pete,
Sorry to hear that Cody isn't doing great. Problems w/breathing frequently do indicate heart trouble. There ARE veterinary cardiologists who can tell you for sure whether that is the case; don't know if there are any within a reasonable distance of where you live. As for dropping feces when he walks, a friend of mine had the same thing happening with his older Akita. Turns out that his dog was having difficulty w/his hips (hence couldn't defecate properly), and the problem was solved by putting him on Rimadyl for the arthritis. You need to be careful w/Rimadyl & monitor closely, though, for possible side effects. My older Akita is nine years old, and I have him on Cosequin for his joints. It helps a great deal.
