My dog is choking and snorting. Can I give her guaifenesin for phlegm?

Dogs can cough for a number of reasons and in many cases, it is important that they are able to cough up any extra mucus in their lungs. Guaifenesin will suppress coughs, thus suppressing any mucus expulsion. For this reason, no, I do not recommend giving Sofie any guaifenesin unless it is prescribed for her by your vet for this situation. If her cough continues, she should be examined by her vet to get to the bottom of the problem so that she can be treated with the most appropriate medications. I hope that all goes well!

If Holy truly has a bronchial infection, then she needs antibiotics to help clear it. Guaifenesin is typically only used in veterinary medicine for induction of anesthesia for horses, and I can find no information regarding the safety of its use in pregnant dogs. I have occasionally used it in dogs with pneumonia to aid with expelling the fluid in the lungs, however I would advise that Holy should see her vet today in order to obtain and exact diagnosis as to what is causing her breathing difficulties, and obtain a treatment that is appropriate for her disease and safe for her puppies.

Do not give any medications to your pup without the advice of your veterinarian. Legally, we are prohibited from providing dosing information, even for OTC meds, in the absence of a patient-veterinarian-client relationship and a physical exam.

Light pounding on the sides of the chest in her case could help releasing the phlegm, there are also medications such as codeine and terbutalin that can help but you will need to get them from your vet as they are prescription only.

Thank you for submitting your question. I am concerned your dog has an upper respiratory infection giving the mucus you are describing. There are not any over-the-counter products that I would recommend. If her symptoms are not resolving, she will need to see her veterinarian. In the meantime, you can try running hot water from the shower and letting the steam build up in the bathroom. She can breathe the steam for a few minutes several times per day. This can help relieve mild congestion. If she is not eating well or acting lethargic, she should see her veterinarian soon. I hope this helps!

Poor Diesel! This could be allergies, an upper respiratory infection, or something stuck in her throat. If she seems in distress or if her gums are not pink, then I would immediately take her to your vet or emergency clinic as this could be an emergency. Otherwise, as long as she is eating and drinking normally, you could try benadryl to see if this helps. See the link below for more information. If this doesn't help or if at any point her behavior changes, I would have your vet take a look at her. Your vet will be able to listen to her heart and lungs, check bloodwork and even do x-rays if needed. Your vet will be able to get her started on antibiotics if needed. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better really soon! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would check in with your veterinarian at this time as coughing and wheezing are not expected to be due to the weather and there are certainly other diuretics and medications that can be added for heart disease which may help. I am concerned that her heart failure has worsened and should be evaluated by a veterinarian soon. Also, check in with your veterinarian about the use of prednisone as that can make heart failure worse. Mucinex would not help as that is used for a different purpose such as releasing mucus which is not what is causing the cough in a heart failure patient. Good luck and have a great day!