What's causing my senior dog to dry heave from his throat for weeks?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. This could be secondary to an allergy, a reverse sneeze or coughing. I would recommend having her examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. A thorough examination will help rule out multiple causes and even considering having x-rays performed would help rule out multiple causes. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

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.

Hello. Coughing & gagging is pretty indicative of tracheobronchitis, or kennel cough, but in a 14 year old dog, I would be concerned about heartworm disease, heart failure, lung disease, tracheal collapse or bronchitis. So, there are many things that can cause a cough such as this. Only a good examination by your veterinarian, some blood tests & possibly a chest x-ray may be needed to fully diagnose Honey. Once this is done, the appropriate medications & treatments can be started to hopefully make her well. Good luck & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Aww Marty is so handsome!! So part of this equation is how often is this happening? Is it just once or twice a week? In that case, I’m in the camp of “continue to watch and wait”. If this is daily or multiple times a day some further investigation is needed. You need to discuss the following with your vet but some possible next steps include: Recheck X-rays if it has been 3 months or more since his last set. If not done before, also include views of the neck as sometimes a mass in the throat or neck can cause this. Testing for locally occurring fungal diseases if applicable and/or trial treatment with an antifungal medication. Trial treatment with a short course of steroids. CT scan if available in your area. Sedated/anesthetized laryngeal exam. Best wishes to you and Marty!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. The symptom you are describing could indicate an infection, allergies, respiratory disease, etc. If this has not resolved by now or it is worsening, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello! Sometimes coughing sounds a lot like dry heaving, so it is possible that Otis might be coughing! If so, there are infectious coughs (such as kennel cough), that might be causing the trouble. Or, there could be something irritating his throat. GDV (gastric dilation/volvulus) is the classic cause of dry heaving, but since Otis is playing and eating, this is next to impossible! My recommendation would be, that if this continues, particularly if he is becoming lethargic or losing his appetite, he should ideally be checked by his vet! In the meantime, probably best to isolate him from other dogs, in case he has a contagious cough! Best of luck with Otis!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This symptom in a small breed dog, like Axel is often related to collapsing trachea. Please, take Axel to your local vets for an appointment. Fully clinical examination and potentially x-ray of the neck and chest should allow making the definite diagnosis. If the cough is frequent and is bothering your dog, your vet may prescribe him a course of anti-inflammatory medications or/and antibiotics.