My dog is lethargic, dry coughing. Should I take him to the vet?

It sounds as though Vito has been through quite a bit over the past week! It is concerning that he is now lethargic, not eating, and coughing, after being normal for a week after his procedures. My main concern is that he may have developed kennel cough or canine influenza after being in a shelter situation. To answer your question, yes, I do think you should take him to the vet for evaluation. In addition to a physical exam, Vito may need to have chest x-rays taken or blood testing performed. I hope this helps and that he's feeling better soon!

Poor guy. Coughing in pets should always be addressed by your vet, especially if it seems to be interferring with Opie's quality of life. He seems to be lethargic if he can't keep his eyes open. I wonder if the coughing is keeping him up at night and so he can't get enough rest? It is best to get this treated soon. A short course of antibiotics will likely be prescribed. I hope that Opie feels better soon! Best wishes and take care. : )

I would suggest a vet visit for Gus just to find out what is causing the cough. Heart disease or lung disease can potential he cause a cough as well as things like allergies or viral infection. Because Gus is a little bit older I would suggest getting him checked out just for peace of mind.

Depending on your location, there may be confirmed cases of Canine Influenza in your area. This is a potential cause for the cough. The flu will typically present similar to as it does in people, with a fever, cough, lethargy, inappetance, and often a nasal discharge. It has the potential to progress to pneumonia. There is no specific treatment for the flu, only supportive care and antibiotics if secondary pneumonia develops. I use the rule if a cough does not improve, or worsens, over the course of 48 hours, and is accompanied by lethargy, decreased appetite, difficulty breathing, and vomiting or diarrhea, then the pet should be seen. With the recent outbreaks of Canine Influenza I would certainly try to have him seen by his veterinarian.

These are alarming symptoms indeed. For an older dog with coughing and lethargy, my top suspicions would be: heart disease, heartworm disease (if he is not current on heartworm prevention) primary lung cancer, pneumonia or a heart based tumor. He is at risk for all of these based on his breed. I would highly recommend taking him in to your vet for bloodwork analysis and chest radiographs to properly diagnose him based on the many possible causes stated above. Poor guy. He sounds very unstable for now and the quicker you can get him in to a vet the better. I hope that this is something you can treat for, but the odds of it being something major are high in an older large breed dog. I send you all my best in getting Casper well again. Take care and best wishes.

These signs could be compatible with a respiratory tract inflammation/infection or potentially could be related to heart disease. Considering the lethargy, a systemic sign, I would recommend a check up as soon as possible to determine the underlying cause and establish appropriate treatment. Antibiotics may be needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

I'm concerned about your dog, especially since her symptoms are getting worse. She could have a respiratory infection, or it could be something more serious such as heart disease. I think she needs to see a vet now. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.