My 14-year-old dog is coughing and gagging. What could be wrong?

Poor Maggie! There are quite a few things that could cause this type of cough in a 12-year-old dog. The most common possibilities would include chronic bronchitis, a respiratory infection, heart disease, and even cancer. An exam and chest x-rays would be needed to determine the cause, so I would recommend taking Maggie to the vet when you are able to. He/she can prescribe appropriate medication to treat the cough depending on the underlying problem.

In a dog her age and breed, my first though is a cardiac issue (like heart failure). Fluids start to back up into the lungs and cause coughing/gagging especially when laying down. I suggest you get her to your vet for an exam as soon as possible. I would be worried about these symptoms.

Based on Zuko's age, it can be a variety of things causing the honking and gagging. Usually a honking cough and gag is trademark for "kennel cough complex" a combination viral and bacterial, upper respiratory infection that dogs can get from socializing with other dogs. This can happen at any age. Other things to think about in a 16 year old dog, would be laryngeal paralysis, which occurs when the muscles of the larynx become paralyzed and the area doesn't remain open as it should. Sometimes it can cause a coughing and hacking when the dog gets excited. It can also sometimes cause the airway to become obstructed. It would be best for Zuko to see his veterinarian and have an examination. The vet can see if Zuko needs any medications for the coughing or even some antibiotics if he has an upper respiratory infection. He can also make sure nothing serious is going on, like a lower respiratory infection, a heart condition, or something cancerous that can occur in an elderly dog. If any of those things are suspected, the vet may recommend Xrays and even lab-work to evaluate Zuko. Best of luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Ginger! Unfortunately due to Ginger's age I really worry about the sudden onset of a cough. If she was young I'd say ride it out and give her time but not at 16 years old. I worry about heart failure and cancer the most. As a Pomeranian she could have collapsing trachea that is a bit aggravated due to allergies or an infection. If she was groomed lately or around other dogs then it could be kennel cough, which tends to run it's course in 2 weeks. The best thing for Ginger is to be looked at by your Vet. I wish Ginger the best!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Dory! There are a few things that come to mind for causes of Dory's symptoms: the more common reason is kennel cough, which is a tracheal cough from bacterial or viral infections. The cough is "goose honk" like and is worse at night and with activity. The dog usually eats and drinks. The cough can trigger the gag reflex which causes the dog to make a gagging sound and motion that sometimes is productive. Dogs can get kennel cough from boarding, grooming, doggie day care, dog parks, playing with other dogs or even from us if we were around a coughing dog. The other possibility is she ate something that irritated her esophagus like a raw hide. I would have her seen by your Vet Wednesday. Most vets treat kennel cough with antibiotics and anti-cough medication. It usually resolves with in 2 weeks. I wish you and Dory the best!

I would be concerned at almost 12 years old he may have a heart condition. I would recommend bringing him to your veterinarian to have them listen to him. If he has a heart murmur the next step would be taking him to a cardiologist to determine what is exactly going on with Piccolo's heart and if medication is needed. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. A honking sounding cough with some gagging is a very typical sign of a condition called collapsing trachea. This is condition of the airway where it collapses down when they try to breath. This would be unrelated to the rake incident, but the rake incident might have stressed Gizmo to the point of an attack or episode where this collapsing trachea has become evident. It usually only flares up when they are stressed or breathing heavy. Another possible cause is kennel cough, once again unrelated to the rake incident but the stress could have caused a flare-up. This causes a hacking cough that is persistent. The other option is that the CPR episode caused trauma or inflammation to the airway or neck. Either way, the best thing to do would be to have a check up with a vet to see if some of these other underlying diseases are present, so you can treat (in terms of kennel cough or irritation of the trachea), or prevent future episodes (in terms of kennel cough). If the coughing has improved, the best thing to do in the mean-time would be to keep Gizmo quiet, comfortable, and rested, and avoid any activities where he would get excited or stressed. If he is still having trouble breathing please go to a vet right away as these episodes can spiral quickly and end up with a blocked airway all together, which can be fatal. Best of luck with Gizmo, I hope his coughing has calmed down and he feels better.