Why does my old dog with Cushing's cough when playing or picked up?

Since Moxie does have a heart murmur and Cushing's disease, there is a chance that he has either congestive heart failure or at least fluid retention and pulmonary edema. This would explain the cough. I suggest you have his heart and lungs examined by your veterinarian who, if he finds pulmonary edema, can prescribe a diuretic to remove the fluid from the lungs and heart medication to help the heart be more efficient, This would afford Moxie a much better quality of life as he could breathe much easier and would have more strength and power to move around.

There could be many different reasons for a cough. I would video tape the cough since certain coughs can indicate certain things. Is it from a collapsing trachea or maybe a reverse sneeze. I would recommend chest xrays first to rule out lung pathology also. I would recommend asking your veterinarian if he has a heart murmur. To rule out a heart condition he would need to see a cardiologist. If he has a murmur I would strongly recommend a Cardiologist. If no heart murmur he can still have heart disease and a cardiologist would be indicated just to state it is not heart-related. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would be extremely concerned about her having a cardiac issue. Please take her to your vet so they can check to see if she has a heart murmur as that can lead to heart failure. Coughing is one of the first symptoms. She is the right age and breed for this to be happening. The other likely cause would be a collapsing trachea. So again, please take her to your vet for an exam. Best wishes.

I recommend bringing him to a veterinarian and having them listen to his chest. This may be respiratory or heart related but having a veterinarian auscultate them is the first step. It may require x-rays to determine what it going on also. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would be concerned at almost 12 years old he may have a heart condition. I would recommend bringing him to your veterinarian to have them listen to him. If he has a heart murmur the next step would be taking him to a cardiologist to determine what is exactly going on with Piccolo's heart and if medication is needed. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

With her age I recommend letting a veterinarian listen to her lungs. It can be heart or respiratory. If she has a murmur you may want to consider taking her to a cardiologist to have her heart evaluated. If her heart sounds fine I would talk to your veterinarian about tracheal collapse or respiratory diseases. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Chloe! You can put her in a steamy bathroom for five minutes twice a day. Start her on an omega-3 fatty acid supplement for pets as this can help to condition the lining of her trachea. You can also try an over-the-counter antihistamine but you will have to call your regular veterinarian for a recommendation as online veterinarians are prohibited from discussing human medication usage in pets. If the coughing continues beyond two days or if it gets worse, have her examined by the veterinarian.