My old pug has a dry cough. What's wrong and how can I help him?

I am sorry to hear about Bubu. I would recommend bringing him in to the vet for an examination (particularly because he is a pug so he already has a compromised respiratory system due to his conformation so it is best for any possible respiratory problem to be seen as soon as possible). This could be an issue with the respiratory tract such as kennel cough, or it could be a gastrointestinal issue. The vet will listen to his heart and lungs, palpate his throat, and may recommend x-rays based on their exam. It is not likely related to your family's illness as dogs do not normally catch human flu virus.

Cough can be caused by an infection, heart problem or lung condition, it is important to first know the cause before treating it as treatment is different from condition to another. The most common disease causing cough is a viral/bacterial infection called Kennel cough, this disease usually resolves without treatment within a couple weeks but if the cough is too severe it is recommended to go to the vet in order to get cough medicine and antibiotics.

Poor baby. With heart disease, their heart will sometime get larger and push up on their trachea and that will make them cough. You unfortunately cannot fix this. I would recommend to have your vet do some chest X-rays to see if this could be the cause of her coughing. Your vet will also be able to look at her lungs to see if she has any fluid in her lungs. If so, then she may need to be put on a diuretic to help with her coughing. I hope this helps!

It's possible that Minnie may have contracted a virus called "Kennel Cough" or may be experiencing complications from have a shortened bronchial passage. You'll want to visit your local Veterinarian to rule out the presence of any infection or virus. Minnie may also be experiencing complications do to allergies. You'll want to monitor her for any discharge or drainage and let your doctor know about that as well.

I am so sorry that your elderly pug is so ill. Her symptoms are highly suggestive of underlying heart disease or even pneumonia. I would highly recommend taking her to your vet for an exam and some diagnostic testing (i.e. bloodwork or x-rays) and to discuss quality of life. : ( Poor Luxy. I hope that she ultimately is able to pull through this and recover. Best wishes and take care.

There are a number of possible causes for a cough in a 12 year old poodle. We can group those causes into 2 big categories: 1) the primary issue is airway OR 2) the primary issue is the heart. If the problem is his airway, it may be that he has a collapsing trachea, which results in a unique honking type cough. If the lower airways (the lungs) are the issue, it could be a number of possible causes including bronchitis, pneumonia, or cancer. If the problem is his heart, coughing may result from congestive heart failure, which is a buildup of fluid in the lungs because the heart is not pumping effectively. We can also see a cough if the heart is enlarged and is pushing up on the trachea. A visit to your vet is warranted, and chest xrays would help identify what is happening. Please note: His respiratory rate at rest should not persistently be more than 40 breaths in 1 minute. If his breathing is persistently faster than that or if he seems weak, it is an emergency. If the cough is unrelenting and if his tongue starts to appear blue, it is an immediately life threatening emergency. I hope Fred gets to feeling better soon. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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.