My senior lab coughed up mucus with a spot of blood. Is it serious?

Poor Bailey! Coughing up blood along with bleeding from the nose are quite serious, and I would take her into the vet now. This bleeding could be a sign of ulcers, an inability to clot blood, liver failure, respiratory disease, or cancer. Unfortunately, cancer is always a possibly in an old dog, and if she did have cancer that had spread to her lungs, it could cause these signs. I would take her into a vet right away. The vet can do routine blood tests, a urinalysis, x-rays, and possibly blood clotting tests to see what is causing her to cough up blood and have nose bleeds. Once the cause is found, the vet can determine what, if any, treatment is appropriate for her.

Oh no, poor Marble! It is concerning that he coughed out some blood mucous and while that can be a sign of respiratory infection, in a senior dog I would also be concerned that it could be a sign of cancer. It's best that he is seen by a vet tomorrow for a physical exam, blood tests, urinalysis, and chest x-rays. These tests will help the vet diagnose what is causing his symptoms. Once a diagnosis is reached, the vet can discuss what treatment options are available for Marble.

I would be extremely concerned about her having a cardiac issue. Please take her to your vet so they can check to see if she has a heart murmur as that can lead to heart failure. Coughing is one of the first symptoms. She is the right age and breed for this to be happening. The other likely cause would be a collapsing trachea. So again, please take her to your vet for an exam. Best wishes.

I would discuss other treatment options with your vet. I understand that ultrasound can often be cost prohibitive, but your vet may be able to prescribe medications based on their best guess of the cause of the illness. Based on the labored breathing, weakness, and gagging, I would be worried about Donny's heart and lungs. I know heartworm disease is not terribly common, but it is still a possibility. Other possibilities include heart failure, pneumonia, hypertension, or cancer. You might discuss radiographs with your veterinarian to look inside Donny's chest. Increased potassium could indicate lab error, renal failure, gastrointestinal issues, or possibly Addison's Disease, or it could be normal. Elevated white blood cells can indicate bacterial or viral infection, inflammation, or cancer.

Any heart disease associated with blood clots may result in your dog coughing up blood. A heartworm infection increases the risk for pulmonary thormboembolism which may cause blood or bloody fluid to be pushed into the airways. Has he been tested for heartworm disease? Dogs with pancreatitis, some types of anemia, lung cancer, systemic bleeding, inflammatory diseases and hyperadrenocorticism will also be at an increased risk for pulmonary disorders which could cause this. Something is definitely causing him discomfort and pain. More advanced testing may be needed. Have you considered taking him to see a veterinary internal medicine specialist? I think that would be the next step. ( https://animalmedcenter.com/specialty/internal-medicine/ )

There are many things this could be: * laryngeal paralysis * congestive heart failure * severe pain * hypothyroidism * pulmonary thromboembolism * pneumonia * bloat * many more possibilities.... He really needs to get to the vet for an exam and possibly some blood testing and/or x-rays so you can get a diagnosis. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Oh my. The red blood is very concerning. There could be some type of trauma in her throat or she could have blood coming up from her airway. A bleeding disorder, tracheal injury, canine influenza, rat poison or even pneumonia are all possible causes for this. At any rate Penny needs to see a vet right away for a full examination, oral exam and listen to her lungs. I would take her in as soon as possible for an exam and treatment (likely antibiotics to start). Best of luck with your pet Penny and I hope she is able to make a full and speedy recovery. Take care.