Why is my dog licking lips, coughing, lethargic, and can't swallow?

Those symptoms could indicate issues such as stress, nausea/GI upset, or even something stuck in the throat or mouth. Since items can get lodged far enough back to not be seen just by looking in the nose or mouth, it would be best to bring Kona into your vet for an exam. You vet can take a closer look (with sedation as needed) to see if there is an apparent cause.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Luna. If there is nothing stuck in her throat, then I worry that she is coughing due to a respiratory tract infection. Has her veterinarian discussed the possibility of an upper respiratory tract infection or the more serious case of pneumonia? She may need antibiotics. I hope this information helps!

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.

It's pretty rare that dogs actually get something stuck in the back of the throat. More likely her throat is irritated, or she has an infection like kennel cough. If the cough continues I'd recommend seeing your veterinarian: while it's difficult to see the very back of a dog's throat without sedation, your vet can help determine what is causing the cough.

It sounds like Tucker is quite lethargic. I'd keep an eye on him now since he is otherwise acting normal. If this lethargy continues tomorrow and/or he develops other signs such as vomiting, anorexia, congestion, increased coughing, respiratory difficulty, and/or sneezing, then I would take him into the vet. Best of luck, happy holidays!

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that Toby has been unwell. It sounds like he may have a cold (i.e. kennel cough). Other possibilities include pneumonia, or heart issues. I would recommend taking Toby to the vet if his coughing and lethargy doesn't improve within the next 24 hours. In the meantime, keep up his food and water intake, and allow him plenty of opportunities to rest. If it is kennel cough, you'll want to keep him away from other dogs anyway as it is contagious. I hope this helps, and that Toby is feeling better soon!

The cold tongue is not related to any specific disease, whereas the other signs could be compatible with an inflammation infection of the gastrointestinal system and surrounding organs (like pancreas and liver). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound or radiographs) may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.