Why is my dog coughing, breathing hard, and has a swollen stomach?

I would recommend taking Hustler to the veterinarian right away. If your vet is closed then he needs to go to the emergency vet. In an older dog with a cough and difficulty breathing we are very concerned about possible decompensating heart disease as well as lung disease (pneumonia, cancer). In combination with swelling of the limbs and abdomen we can see this with heart disease as well, or with protein loss due to systemic illness. We can also see difficulty breathing and swelling with anaphylactic reactions. All of these are emergency situations, so he should be seen right away. I wish you the best of luck with him! The vet will examine him and most likely recommend an x-ray of his chest to begin the evaluation.

Your dog should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. It sounds like he may have a heart condition that is causing fluid buildup in his abdomen. This compresses the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Your dog may need to be on a diuretic to help him clear that fluid and ease his breathing. But get him in to be seen right away. Your vet will do an exam, blood work and x-rays to determine the cause and suggest an effective treatment plan.

Poor Bentley! Given his age, I would be concerned there could be something seriously wrong causing the symptoms such as heart disease. Heart disease can be common in senior dogs. I would take him into a vet today for a health check. If he does have heart disease, it cannot be cured but the symptoms can be medically managed. Best of luck.

I am very sorry to hear that you are having these concerning issues with Mambo. From the clinical signs you are describing; distended abodmen, coughing, changes to breathing patterns and lethargy I would be concerned about a potential heart condition. Heart disease can cause the heart to stop pumping blood around the body effectively. This then causes fluids to accumulate in the tissues such as the lungs and the abdomen. This could explain the bloated abdomen and the coughing. I would advise taking Mambo into the veterinarian as soon as you can. Fluid on the lungs can be a life threatening emergency. A veterinarian would be able to listen to Mambo's heart and lunch sounds during an examination and tell you if there is fluid build-up or a heart problem. I hope that is a helpful answer and that Mambo receives the medical care he needs soon. Sending my absolute best wishes to you both.

Unfortunately I cannot diagnose from a picture. If she is is coughing a lot and having a hard time breathing, then yes it can be a sign of heart disease. But it could also be due a respiratory infection. Lexi's belly doesn't look abnormal to me in the picture, and her gums looked pale pink in the other photo, which is normal. I'd have her seen by a vet.

I agree that Duke heart looks enlarged and it is pushing up on his trachea. I cannot diagnose his condition without doing an exam but with just looking at the X-rays, I would say he definitely has a heart condition. I have heard coughs from heart problems sound very similar to upper respiratory infections. Your vet will be able to put him in some heart medicine to help him. Heart medicine will slow down the progression of heart disease and help him feel better. I hope this helps. I'm sorry for the news!

I'm so sorry, I am worried that Grace is very sick. Please take her to an emergency vet. If she is having trouble breathing (breathing hard), please go right away; unfortunately there isn't anything I can recommend for you to try at home. Some possible causes for what you describe include pneumonia, cancer, or heart failure. When you get to the vet, they will be able to supply oxygen to help her breathe more comfortably, and will likely recommend a chest X-ray to get an idea of what is going on so they can recommend appropriate treatment options.