My dog is coughing, has watery eyes, and trouble breathing. Is it allergies?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Watson. I am concerned that he may have an upper respiratory tract infection based on the signs you have described and the fact that he goes to doggy daycare. It is common for respiratory infections to occur when there are lots of dogs playing together in one place. He will need to see his veterinarian as he may require antibiotic treatment. I hope this information helps!

Hi, and thanks for your question. That is likely to be due to a mild to moderate respiratory infection and conjunctivitis, probably secondary to an allergy or infection. A check up would be needed to confirm this suspicion and appropriate treatment might include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Corneal injuries must be ruled out as well (just in case). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Jackie. Many states right now are experiencing outbreaks of respiratory problems in dogs. All of us in the profession are always worried about canine flu outbreaks. I would advise that if the condition worsens or doesn't resolve, have your veterinarian evaluate Jackie. There are many causes of coughing and having a thorough history would help narrow that down. Of course kennel cough, allergies, things in the air that are irritants, etc are all possible including many others. Again, with everything going on now across the United States, I would advise a trip to your vet's office with her. They can evaluate her and then advise some treatment or diagnostic testing to screen for a cause. They may advise fecal tests, blood tests, x-rays, or other tests to determine a cause. Better to be safe in this case. Good luck with Jackie.

Either one is possible with a hacking cough - kennel cough would be most common in a dog his age, but allergies can certainly cause a cough as well. You may want to check in with your vet tomorrow since they just performed a physical exam and make sure there is no additional testing they would want to perform (such as a chest x-ray) with this new information. Kennel cough is often self limiting and no specific treatment is necessary since it is often viral, however your vet might want to prescribe some medications to help with the symptoms. An allergic cough is sometimes treated with cough suppressants or anti-inflammatory medication.

It could just be allergies, but that doesn't usually cause shortness of breath. Try to keep her calm and reduce activity. Keep the room cool and use a fan. If she still seems short of breath, she needs to be checked out by a vet ASAP.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Chunk. You are right, it could be heart related and the way to know that is to have him seen by a vet. The vet can listen to his heart with a stethoscope, and may take x-rays of his chest. It could also be due to his allergies. I do recommend a vet visit to have this issue diagnosed and treated. I hope this helps!

It could be allergies. Without hearing or examining him, it is difficult to determine definitively. Other causes may include respiratory infection or inflammation, collapsing trachea, heart disease, trauma or foreign body. If symptoms persist, have him examined by your veterinarian.