Why is my small dog coughing, wheezing, and gagging like a hairball?

Dogs rarely cough due to hairballs since they do not lick and groom themselves as cats do. Instead, a more common cause of a short-lived gagging cough, particularly in a small breed dog, is a collapsing trachea. Other possible causes of Bailey's cough include heart disease, heartworm disease, chronic bronchitis, kennel cough, canine influenza, among other issues. I recommend taking Bailey to her vet for a physical exam and chest/neck x-rays to try to get to the root of this problem in case more immediate treatment is needed. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

Cough can be caused by an infection, heart problem or lung condition, it is important to first know the cause before treating it as treatment is different from condition to another. The most common disease causing cough is a viral/bacterial infection called Kennel cough, this disease usually resolves without treatment within a couple weeks but if the cough is too severe it is recommended to go to the vet in order to get cough medicine and antibiotics.

Chronic coughing in small dog can have many reasons. The most common cause is a collapsing trachea. This would be a weakness in the windpipe and whenever the dog gets excited, does exercise, and in some cases even when resting , the trachea collapses and keeps the air from getting to the lungs. This will cause coughing, wheezing and even trouble breathing. This can be easily diagnosed with an xray and a throough exam. Another common cause, especially in old dogs, would be congestive heart failure where the heart is not able to pump blood efficiently and a pulmonary edema develops and causes coughing, wheezing and breathing troubles. Again a thorough clinical exam and xrays/ultrasound exam can rule this out. I suggest you schedule an appointment for an exam with your vet soon.

Hello. Coughing & gagging is pretty indicative of tracheobronchitis, or kennel cough, but in a 14 year old dog, I would be concerned about heartworm disease, heart failure, lung disease, tracheal collapse or bronchitis. So, there are many things that can cause a cough such as this. Only a good examination by your veterinarian, some blood tests & possibly a chest x-ray may be needed to fully diagnose Honey. Once this is done, the appropriate medications & treatments can be started to hopefully make her well. Good luck & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am sorry to hear that Brownie is nkt well. From what you are describing and the picture you provided I would be concerned that Brownie has kennel cough. This is a highly contagious respiratory disease passed between dogs. It is particularly common in shelters and kennels. It is caused by a virus, and is usually self limiting in a few weeks. However, it is also possible to get a Bacterial infection in conjunction with the virus. If you also notice creamy discharge this is likely. I would suggest taking Brownie to the veterinarian to have him examined and have an antibiotic prescribed. When you call to make the appointment please mention the suspicion of kennel cough as they may see you at the end of the day or in another area to prevent the spread of tHe disease. Here is some mor information on kennel cough and I wish you the best of luck https://www.petcoach.co/article/top-7-questions-about-kennel-cough-in-dogs-answered/ Other possible causes are tracheal collapse and a foreign body obstruction. Though these are less likely. Please feel free to post any further questions you may have here on the forum we are here to help you!

Hi there! While some smaller breed dogs can be prone to what we call tracheal collapse, it is usually results in a characteristic "goose honking" noise. Because Gypsy's cough is not improving on the the Theophylline and seems to be get worse with exertion I am concerned about heart disease. Her heart should be properly auscultated and also evaluated in the radiographs. I would recommend seeing a cardiologist at this point in time, as they are experts in the area of the heart. Best of luck to you and Gypsy.

I’m sorry to hear that Lexi isn’t feeling well. A common cause of cough in a young dog could still be kennel cough- it is very contagious and can even be transmitted on your clothes if you touched a contaminated object/person. Other causes although less likely at her age could be tracheal collapse, heartworm, heart disease, pneumonia, etc. I would reach out to your local humane society as they often have discounted care for those who qualify. Here is another link to help with resources. http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.