My chihuahua coughs like a hairball and wheezes. Could it be allergies?

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.

Lola is very cute! Her symptoms could be a sign of heart disease, which can be common in older dogs. They could also be caused by allergies or a respiratory disease. The only way to know for sure what is causing her symptoms is to have her seen by a vet. The vet can diagnose what is causing them, and what treatment options are available to her. I recommend calling the vet today to make an appointment for her next week. Best of luck.

This could be an upper respiratory infection such as kennel cough , but could also be a sign of heart disease, especially if Chico is an older dog. Another very likely possibility is that Chico has a collapsed trachea. You will need to take Chico to your vet for an exam and x-rays (which will rule out collapsed trachea and lung edema caused by congestive heart failure). Your vet;s exam will also detect any problems with the heart, that may be causing the cough. Please cschedule an appointment with your vet soon.

Poor Charlie. There are a lot of different causes for coughing. He could have a severe upper respiratory infection/kennel cough, heart disease or even pneumonia. The yelping when being picked up is likely unrelated but could be due to him hurting somewhere in his back or abdomen. Both of these problems call for an exam by your vet in order to listen to his heart and lungs and also palpating his back, abdomen and other joints to find out why exactly he is helping. I would try to video the cough to help the vet make a proper diagnosis. Your vet will be able to take X-rays if needed and also get him started on the proper meds to help him feel better. They will also be able to prescribe something for the cough to help everyone rest a little better at night. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better really soon !

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.

I am sorry to hear about Bob. I would definitely recommend getting him to the vet as soon as possible. If he is having difficulty breathing tonight I would take him to an emergency vet. There are many possible causes of coughing. Allergies can occasionally cause a mild cough but we don't often see coughing as a result of allergies in pets (in pets allergies tend to manifest more as skin problems or sneezing) and in those cases the cough is more mild. We would worry about infections with bacteria or virus (including pneumonia in severe coughing), heartworm disease, heart disease, and lung tumors to name a few. Bob needs to have the vet examine him, listen to his heart and lungs, and most likely take x-rays of his lungs to check for changes to the heart and lungs. The results of the exam and testing will help determine his treatment needed. Best of luck to you and Bob.

I'm sorry Shanelle isn't doing well! Yes, I would take her into to see the vet. At her age, while it could be she has a respiratory infection, it's also possible that she is suffering from heart disease causing the sounds when she breathes. It's best she has a physical exam, geriatric blood tests, urinalysis, and chest x-rays to see what is causing her symptoms so she can be treated. If she did have heart disease, it cannot be cured but the symptoms can be managed with medication. I would have her seen by a vet on Monday or Tuesday. I hope this helps!