My Shih Tzu is wheezing and lethargic. What's wrong with her?

It could be that Princess has a collapsing trachea. This is a common problem in toy breed dogs, and it can be brought on when drinking water or eating. I would have Princess seen by a vet. The vet can do a physical exam, blood tests, a urinalysis, and x-rays to diagnose if she does have it. Should Princess have a collapsing trachea, it can be treated medically, but it may need to be treated surgically. When a dog is obsess, that also contributes to the problem, and weight loss may be suggested. Using a harness to walk her is also recommended, as is staying away from respiratory irritants like cigarette smoke and air fresheners.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Alice. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. It is worrisome that she is not eating well. She could be infected with an upper respiratory tract infection. Wheezing and an increase in reverse sneezing are both symptoms. If this is not the case, she may be painful somewhere. Her veterinarian will be able to tell based on her exam findings. In the meantime, do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

I recommend to have Lizzy Lu examined by the veterinarian. Wheezing is not normal and can indicate allergies, a collapsing trachea or primary lung disease. While cold weather can make wheezing worse, it should not cause the wheezing. It's best to play it safe. The vet will do an exam and may recommend to take an x-ray to look for any abnormalities. I hope this helps.

I'm sorry that Luna is having this issue. There are quite a few things that could be going on. Collapsing trachea is my best guess based on your description. I suggest you video the "coughing" behavior to show your vet. That will be the most helpful. I would also recommend x-rays of her chest as the next step. It is not a good idea to continue Famotidine for such a long time. It actually will stop the stomach from producing any acid at all which can make issues worse. If you are still doing that I would stop. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tracheal-collapse-in-dogs )

Lola is very cute! Her symptoms could be a sign of heart disease, which can be common in older dogs. They could also be caused by allergies or a respiratory disease. The only way to know for sure what is causing her symptoms is to have her seen by a vet. The vet can diagnose what is causing them, and what treatment options are available to her. I recommend calling the vet today to make an appointment for her next week. Best of luck.

Chronic coughing in small dog can have many reasons. The most common cause is a collapsing trachea. This would be a weakness in the windpipe and whenever the dog gets excited, does exercise, and in some cases even when resting , the trachea collapses and keeps the air from getting to the lungs. This will cause coughing, wheezing and even trouble breathing. This can be easily diagnosed with an xray and a throough exam. Another common cause, especially in old dogs, would be congestive heart failure where the heart is not able to pump blood efficiently and a pulmonary edema develops and causes coughing, wheezing and breathing troubles. Again a thorough clinical exam and xrays/ultrasound exam can rule this out. I suggest you schedule an appointment for an exam with your vet soon.

Thank you for your question regarding Chloe. I am happy to hear that her ear has cleared up and it’s not causing her any more problems. In regards to her wheezing, sneezing, gagging and vomiting, dogs her age can acquire these symptoms through a variety of diseases such as environmental or seasonal allergies, upper respiratory disease, sinus problems, dental problems, etc. I understand that you were just at the veterinarian and you may be hesitant about taking her back. But I strongly encourage you to schedule another physical examination as soon as possible to make sure that she does not have one of the above mentioned diseases and to make sure that the Claritin is adequate enough treatment. I hope this helps.