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 Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 8:30 pm
oh for a few months to a year my dog has had a really bad cough.
i looked up kennel cough but Kona(my dog) doesnt cough like every minute. he coughs when ever hes doing something. if im petting him and he starts to get excited he coughs. its a dry cough and hes not coughing up anything. when people show up he does his normal thing, he runs to them and trys to bark but most of the time he cant bark at all. it looks like hes barking but no sound is comming out. then he coughs.
he get short of breath and coughs when ever he tries to run or play.
sometimes he will cough while laying down but its only now and then.
im really scared about my dog... hes turning 15 next month and ive had him since i was 6. im scared for his health. my mom is ogne but the moment she gets back im making her take him to a clinic.
please help me...
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Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:01 pm
Hi Little Miss Paranoid, I found some info that you might want to read. its very interesting.. Here is is....
Dogs cough for a variety of reasons, some of which can be serious in themselves and others that are signs of an underlying problem. Internal parasites, heartworm disease, distemper, fungus diseases, tuberculosis, allergies, and pollutants such as cigarette smoke can cause Fido to cough.
Coughs are triggered by irritants in the air passages and can be characterized as dry and hacking; moist and bubbly; gagging; wheezy; harsh; or weak. It can be frequent, chronic, or intermittent, and is often self-perpetuating as it dries the throat and leads to further irritation.
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Kennel cough
High, dry coughs are typical of kennel cough or acute tracheobronchitis. A dog with kennel cough seems to feel fine otherwise. Cases usually heal in about two weeks, but the frequent bouts of coughing can be annoying to the owner who lies awake listening to his pet hack away. Treatment includes isolation to avoid infection of other family or kennel dogs, monitoring of temperature, rest, and if the coughing is severe, use of a children's over-the-counter cough syrup. A humidifier can help the dog breathe easier and thus reduce coughing and further throat inflammation.
Kennel cough in puppies and toy breeds can be another story; the throat irritation can be accompanied by thick secretions that can cause pneumonia.
Bordatella vaccine protects dogs from several strains of kennel cough. The intranasal version of the vaccine is more effective than the inoculation. Any dog that is constantly exposed to other dogs away from home should be protected against kennel cough.
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Distemper
Many dog owners think that distemper is not a problem because puppies are vaccinated against it. However, not all puppies and dogs are vaccinated, and the disease remains a serious threat to puppies.
When puppies are born, they get immunity to disease through their mother's antibodies. These antibodies diminish as the pup grows, and vaccinations may not rebuild that immunity quickly enough to protect the pup from distemper and other diseases. Many veterinarians recommend that puppies be kept away from strange dogs for at least 12 weeks and preferable for 14-16 weeks to make sure the vaccines have replaced the immunity formerly provided by their mother.
Distemper can be mild in dogs that are in good condition or severe in ill-nourished animals. It can be fatal, especially in young puppies or debilitated dogs. Secondary infections can also be a problem.
The dry cough associated with distemper appears in the first stage of the disease, when the dog is listless and has a fever (103-105() and a thick, yellow discharge from nose and eyes. Although these symptoms resemble those of a common head cold in humans, dogs do not catch colds; when they appear, the dog should be taken immediately to the clinic.
Distemper is preventable by vaccination. Veterinarians vaccinate puppies and give yearly boosters with the annual checkup and some veterinarians run vaccination clinics at reduced rates.
Owners of unvaccinated pets should get to a veterinarian for a preventive program. Those who choose shot clinics should make sure the vaccines are handled properly and are administered by a licensed professional. Rabies vaccine must be administered by a veterinarian according to Ohio law. Any dog showing signs of illness should be examined before being vaccinated.
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Internal parasites
Infestation of internal parasites such as roundworms and heartworms can cause coughing.
Roundworms live in the canine intestine. The dog can become infected by licking or eating soil contaminated with eggs. The eggs are swallowed and hatch in the intestine; the larval worms travel to the lungs in the bloodstream, crawl up the windpipe, and are swallowed to return to the intestine and mature into adults. As they migrate up the windpipe, the larva can cause bouts of coughing.
Puppies can be born with roundworms if the mother is infested. Pregnant bitches can carry encysted roundworm larva in their tissues. In the last stages of pregnancy, the larva are emitted, enter the bloodstream, and travel to the puppies through the placenta. Worming the mother before birth is ineffective against encysted larvae.
If a dog is in good condition, a light infestation of roundworms is seldom a problem. Heartworm infestation is another thing altogether; by the time the infected dog coughs, he is already severely infected with this serious and often fatal disease.
Heartworms are transmitted to dogs by mosquitoes. The mosquito bites the infected dog, ingests the tiny heartworm microfilaria, provides a host for the next stage of development of the parasite, then transfers the juvenile larvae to the bloodstream of the next dog she feeds on. The microfilaria swim to the lungs, where they mature and reproduce, sending more microfilariae into the dog's bloodstream to be ingested by a mosquito.
The process of infection takes at least six months. The cough begins when the dog has enough adult heartworms to interfere with exchange of oxygenated blood between lungs and heart. A heartworm infested dog becomes debilitated, unable to handle mild exercise without wheezing and coughing. He may cough from the effort of walking from one side of the room to the other in severe cases.
Treatment of heartworm is extensive but is successful if the disease is not too far advanced and if the dog is in otherwise good health. Treatment involves injections of arsenic to kill the heartworms and then further injections to kill the circulating microfilariae. Initial injections must be followed by several weeks of rest until the dog's system can absorb the dead worms. The second set of injections is given six weeks after the first. Prevention of heartworm infestation is easier than cure and kinder than a bout with the parasite. An annual blood test to determine the presence of microfilariae should be done before beginning the preventive medication. Most veterinarians now conduct two tests, one to detect microfilariae and one to ascertain if non-reproducing adult worms are already present in the lungs. If the test is negative, daily and monthly preventive tablets are available, some with agents to handle whipworms and hookworms.
Many dog owners use heartworm preventive all year, especially if they are also fighting infestations of other worms. Prevention is not cheap, but it is far less expensive than treatment and it is far easier on Fido's system and quality of life.
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Other causes of coughs
Although uncommon, tuberculosis does affect dogs and can cause upper respiratory symptoms. The cough associated with this bacterial infection is moist and productive; dogs may hack up bloody sputum, and suffer from labored breathing. Diagnosis is by x-ray of the lungs. Dogs and humans can infect each other with tuberculosis.
The symptoms of several fungus diseases resemble those of tuberculosis. Dogs kenneled in or near old chicken or pigeon coops or in the presence of other large accumulations of bird dung can inhale fungus spores that can cause chronic coughs, bouts of pneumonia, weight loss, undulating fever, and breathing difficulties. Diagnosis is difficult; again, prevention is the best course.
Coccidiosis is a protzoan disease with symptoms that resemble distemper. It is most common in dirty kennels. Cleanliness is the best antidote. Allergies to pollen, house dust, molds, insect bites, and foods can cause coughing, sneezing, and general itchiness.
Any repeated episodes of coughing should be investigated. Owners should note any other symptoms that accompany the cough and make a list for the veterinarian. And those cough-producing diseases that can be prevented with a little effort certainly should be part of the pet-and-owner lifetime contract.
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 6:01 pm
I know that you are scared about your dog, but I would recommend you take your dog to the vet. His heart definitely needs to be checked out and he needs a heartworm test if he is not current on medication. There are also lung diseases that can cause coughing as well. Some of these conditions are relatively benign, some are more serious. But without taking x-rays of the chest it is hard to tell.
I know you are worried that you will find out that your dog has an illness, but remember that the sooner a vet finds out about an illness, the greater the likelihood is that the problem can be treated or cured. But the longer you wait, the worse the problem gets and the chance that the vet can help goes down. My experience with coughing dogs is generally good for improving their condition, even if the disease is not curable.
Good luck! Let us know how things go with your vet.
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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 8:56 pm
You mentioned he is almost 15 years old. It's possible it could be some sort of kennel cough or a more serious issue. BUT...due to his age I get the feeling he could just be getting winded. Old men need to catch their breath even after walking across a room, or even getting up from bed. It would be smart to talk to someone who works at a pet store (sometimes there can be very knowledgable people at pet stores, but not always). It would be even better to talk to a vet or maybe just a nurse about the issue and ask how common it is for older dogs to have a cough...a call for advice shouldn't cost anything, at least that's how it is with my vet.
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Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:20 am
How is your dog doing?
Please keep us informed! Thanks.
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Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:34 pm
It could be weak lungs from something that happened when the dog was younger that is being brought out more with age. But yes, he does need to see a vet.
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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 5:49 pm
what type of dog is Kona? Small dogs cough,and it sounds like they`re throwing up,but it just means they`re happy/excited.my friends Yorkie does it all the time. What causes the sound is that when smaller dogs get too excited they kinda choke on some of their spit,in not dangerous,it just causes them to cough.
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:32 pm
Moon-Sugar-Kitten Two what type of dog is Kona? Small dogs cough,and it sounds like they`re throwing up,but it just means they`re happy/excited.my friends Yorkie does it all the time. What causes the sound is that when smaller dogs get too excited they kinda choke on some of their spit,in not dangerous,it just causes them to cough. What you are describing is collapsing trachea. It is common in small breed dogs, like yorkies. It can happen in larger dogs, but is uncommon. It tends to be something that a dog has life-long, not something that develops in older age. It is a good thought though, and a common cause for coughing.
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Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:45 pm
Sounds a lot like the situation I had recently with my dog.
She started with the occasional cough, a short brief hack like trying to cough up something. And she was breathless if overexerted and sometimes even when just lying down. Also she started panting earlier and earlier into her usual walks. Sammy (my dog) also happens to be 14 and it started just under a year ago.
A vet trip proved the cause to be fluid on the lungs due to a slight heart murmur. If this is the case with your dog do not fret. A year later and my Sammy is pretty much back to her old self and enjoying her exercise without excessive panting and the coughing has stopped. She is still on medication at the moment but is due to be seen when they run out and may not need them anymore. The medication isn't to expensive. £20 ($40??) for a month's worth of pills. (Two types.)
She was initially put on vivtonin to help open up the valves and improve blood flow but as the cough persisted she was also given Frusamide, which is a dioretic to help drain the fluid.
This is just one possibility it could be, just your situation sounds a hellava lot like mine. Has your dog ever been diagnosed with a heart murmur?
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Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:19 pm
Lapinporokoira Sounds a lot like the situation I had recently with my dog. snipping a good story) This is just one possibility it could be, just your situation sounds a hellava lot like mine. Has your dog ever been diagnosed with a heart murmur? That certainly is a possibility. I think lots of people put off taking their pet to the vet when it is having a problem because they are afraid of getting bad news, but like Lapinporokoira's baby, often medication can help to bring them back to almost normal. And the earlier a problem is diagnosed, the better the chance of a recovery is. Oi! I think I may have said this before! Sorry, it is just a major frustration I have. Dogs with heart disease often have a good short term prognosis for return to normal, and often have a lot of good time left to them if treated. The basic heart medications are really not that expensive too! I hope we hear how LMP's pup is doing soon. I am keeping my fingers crossed for them.
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Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 8:07 am
Please let us know how your dog is doing. I think that taking the dog to the vet would definetly help but if your dog is a little*size wise* then that could be a reason for coughing cause they are prone to hyperness biggrin
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