My dog was attacked. Why is she coughing, heaving, and can't bark?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is possible that this is all related to Rose pulling a lot in the leash which ultimately could have resulted in some degree of tracheitis. This usually improves on its own relatively quickly. If this does not resolve in the next 3-5 days, have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment. At that point, if nothing else is wrong, they may choose to start her on an anti-inflammatory medication. Good luck and have a great day!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that your Yorkie got attacked by another dog. He could absolutely have injuries that you cannot see, either to his muscle or spine/neck. If he is moving slower, he may have neck pain that hurts him when he moves. I recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian at their next available appointment, so he/she can perform a physical exam and localize any pain. Your vet can prescribe pain/anti-inflammatory medications that help your pet be more comfortable. If you cannot get him to the vet, I recommend keeping him rested (ie restricted to a crate) so he cannot hurt himself further. I hope this is helpful!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is very important that she is evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. This is quite concerning. Keep in mind that most dog attacks to small dogs cause a lot of trauma and most of the time there is much more trauma inside than what you can see from the outside. They would be able to examine her more closely and proceed with therapy accordingly. At the very least they can proceed with pain control medications as she is likely painful which is why she is not eating well. I am hoping for a full recovery!

Hi there! I would recommend having this checked out by your vet when you're able to. A wheezing sound in the throat, hoarseness, and/or a raspy quality to her panting or breathing are all concerning for something interfering with normal air flow in the back of her throat. This could be due to laryngeal paralysis, a growth or tumor, a foreign body, or something simple like a respiratory infection causing some swelling or inflammation in this area. Your vet can do a complete oral exam under sedation if needed to get a better look at her throat, and may also recommend x-rays or other testing to help check for abnormalities.

I am so sorry about Zelda’s cough. It is possible a piece of bark has become lodged in her throat, or that the chewing merely inflamed her throat causing a cough. I would monitor her closely for the next few hours, offer her only water and keep her calm. If the cough worsens, she seems in pain or distressed I would take her to the vet immediately. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. A honking sounding cough with some gagging is a very typical sign of a condition called collapsing trachea. This is condition of the airway where it collapses down when they try to breath. This would be unrelated to the rake incident, but the rake incident might have stressed Gizmo to the point of an attack or episode where this collapsing trachea has become evident. It usually only flares up when they are stressed or breathing heavy. Another possible cause is kennel cough, once again unrelated to the rake incident but the stress could have caused a flare-up. This causes a hacking cough that is persistent. The other option is that the CPR episode caused trauma or inflammation to the airway or neck. Either way, the best thing to do would be to have a check up with a vet to see if some of these other underlying diseases are present, so you can treat (in terms of kennel cough or irritation of the trachea), or prevent future episodes (in terms of kennel cough). If the coughing has improved, the best thing to do in the mean-time would be to keep Gizmo quiet, comfortable, and rested, and avoid any activities where he would get excited or stressed. If he is still having trouble breathing please go to a vet right away as these episodes can spiral quickly and end up with a blocked airway all together, which can be fatal. Best of luck with Gizmo, I hope his coughing has calmed down and he feels better.

If the bite wounds penetrated her chest and/or abdomen and they were not surgically explored than she could have internal injuries that need to be addressed. If you feel like she is getting worse and dying than you should take her to an emergency clinic in your area right away as they are used to dealing with trauma and critical care patients. Please find an emergency clinic and have her seen right away.