My dog is hacking white foam and phlegm. When should I worry?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Poochie. Poor girl. There could be a couple of things going on with her causing this cough. It could be a respiratory infection, it could be a collapsing trachea, it could be kennel cough, or it could be something more serious like heart disease. I'd have her seen by a vet in the morning for this problem. The vet can diagnose what is causing it, and can treat her. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Pulling hard on the collar may have caused some irritation and lead to the hacking you are seeing. I would recommend switching to a gentle leader collar and avoid placing a collar on him for the next 3 to 5 days. If it continues or worsens I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made.

What you describe sounds a lot like symptoms of canine infectious tracheobronchitis, also known as kennel cough. If she has been exposed to any other dogs, such as groomer, dog park, boarding facility, newly adopted dogs etc within the last 2 Weeks then this would be high on my list of concerns. Kennel cough is often self limiting. However if no exposure known then I would be more Concerned about issues such aspiration pneumonia, object lodged in throat, heart disease, and heart worm. Coughing is always concerning to me and I would highly encourage you to have Pinky evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

This sounds like kennel cough. If she’s been around other dogs a few days ago she may have gotten this from them. Usually if you keep her quiet and she continues eating and drinking she should get over this without treatment in a week or so. If the coughing worsens or she stops eating or becomes lethargic then bring her in for an exam and treatment. They will probably give her antibiotics and perhaps something to stop the coughing. If it’s kennel cough she could be contagious so please keep her away from other dogs until she’s better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your dog.

Hello! I would recommend taking Mercy into the vet to be checked. Excessive hacking isn't a normal behavior. Sometimes dogs that chew on sticks can get sharp pieces stuck in their tonsils, which gives them a constantly scratchy throat. It could be that the hacking is actually a cough and a sign of an respiratory problem, such as bronchitis. Some dogs also experience acid-reflux, which can cause hacking. Your vet can perform a physical exam and listen for signs of inflammation in her lungs, and may recommend some sedation for a thorough oral examination to ensure she doesn't have anything stuck in the back of her throat. I would recommend trying to get video of her hacking behavior prior to visiting the vet, as this will greatly help them differentiate the cause. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that Eclaire has been unwell. Sucralfate is a gastroprotectant typically used if stomach ulcers or intestinal bleeding are suspected, e.g. if she has been vomiting. Even if she did not have these problems, it should still be safe to give. Another possibility for hacking/coughing would be an upper respiratory infection (e.g. kennel cough) or pneumonia. If Eclaire does not improve within the next 24 hours, I would suggest taking her back to the vet for re-evaluation. I hope this helps, and that Eclaire is feeling better soon!

Sounds like Mama is definitely in a pretty significant amount of pain, and probably experiencing some nausea as well. In order to determine the cause, a physical exam should be performed by a veterinarian. They will be able to tell you if further diagnostics are required to come up with a reason for Mama's current state. In the meantime just so you can be sure immediate attention isn't required, consider obtaining a temperature (normal is 99 - 102.5), checking the gums for pinkness / moisture, and checking the skin for normal elasticity. If Mama appears stables in these regards, there is no reason to think she needs to be rushed out tonight.