Chihuahua with heart murmur & trouble breathing: Is it an emergency?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Roxy! If Roxy is having trouble breathing she needs to see a veterinarian right away. We have to assume she is in congestive heart failure. Just increasing the medication likely will not be enough. You can give her another 1/2 of furosemide while you find an open emergency room. Oral medications are not quick enough in situations like this. She likely needs oxygen and injectable medications. I wish Roxy the best!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. I'm quite concerned about her. Her breathing rate is high for resting, and labored breathing is a medical emergency. I think you should take her into an ER vet now to get checked out. Best of luck.

The heart does indeed appear to be enlarged and the trachea (windpipe) pushed up by the heart which can cause discomfort and coughing. Murmurs and valve disease are quite common in chihuahuas (diet related dilated cardiomyopathy is generally associated with a milder murmur and larger heart). An ultrasound exam to assess the valves and the strength and thickness of the heart muscle or review from a cardiologist is recommended in order to determine the underlying issues as treatment to manage and reduce the symptoms are very different depending on the type of heart condition which is predominant

Coughing and not really eating in a dog with a heart murmur(s) could point to congestive heart failure. Please take her to a vet immediately. You cannot wait. Maybe you can find assistance with vet bills through this link. https://www.dogingtonpost.com/need-help-with-vet-bills-or-pet-food-there-are-resources-available/ https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=8501760

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Bambi. I'm wondering if she has something like a collapsed trachea causing her breathing issues. You see problems with breathing in the condition with excitement and exercise, and it does worsen over time. This can explain what is going on with her. Without seeing her in person, I can't say for certain this is the cause. I recommend having her seen by a vet in the morning. The vet can diagnose what is causing her problems, and can discuss treatment options with you. If she does have a collapsing trachea, treatment options include medical management or surgery. I hope this helps!

I am sorry to hear about your dog. These symptoms are indications that your dog needs to see a vet right away. Any time we have breathing issues, it is considered an emergency. There are many different causes for lethargy and difficulty breathing but could include an infection in the lungs, a problem with the heart, anemia/low red blood cells, trauma to name just a few. The vet will do an exam and may recommend x-rays of the lungs and/or bloodwork to check for low red blood cells and signs of systemic disease. They may provide oxygen support if needed and will base treatment on the results of testing. I wouldn't delay in getting her in right away!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sorry Mogli is having this issue. Heart murmurs can progress to heart failure and some of the signs of that are coughing, breathing issues and exercise intolerance. The other thing is that he may have a collapsing trachea. I think your best option is to take him to your vet for an exam. They may want to take some x-rays to check the size of his heart, the quality of the lungs and the size of the trachea. That will help you get to the bottom of this. Hope this helps. Best wishes.