My senior dog has a harsh cough after cold weather. What can I do?

Poor Cherry! I'm sorry to hear that she's having this problem. There are many things that could cause coughing and difficulty breathing along with congestion in the lungs - some common possibilities would include heart disease, pneumonia, or even cancer. It would help to have more information about what your vet found during her physical exam (such as whether she has a heart murmur or not), as well as some additional diagnostic tests such as blood work, an echocardiogram, etc. to help diagnose the problem. Treatment and prognosis will depend on what the underlying problem is, so without this information, it isn't really possible to tell you whether she will be okay or not, or what you can do to help her. I would recommend calling your veterinarian to ask for some additional clarification on what they believe is wrong with her. If they aren't sure, or if they don't have any additional suggestions for how to proceed from here, you can get a second opinion from another local vet or request referral to an internal medicine specialist for further work-up.

Poor Chloe! You can put her in a steamy bathroom for five minutes twice a day. Start her on an omega-3 fatty acid supplement for pets as this can help to condition the lining of her trachea. You can also try an over-the-counter antihistamine but you will have to call your regular veterinarian for a recommendation as online veterinarians are prohibited from discussing human medication usage in pets. If the coughing continues beyond two days or if it gets worse, have her examined by the veterinarian.

So sorry that Mary is having this problem. Unfortunately, there really isn't anything over the counter that you should give her, especially without knowing the cause. She could have a problem with her heart and have some fluid in her lungs or have an infection, like pneumonia. If you are not able to take her to a vet than try to keep her as quiet as possible and keep her hydrated and eating. Other than that, she would need to see a vet to diagnose the problem and then prescribe medications to treat. If you have a vet that regularly treats her, you could call and see if he/she would prescribe a cough medication to see if that helps at all.

I recommend bringing him to a veterinarian and having them listen to his chest. This may be respiratory or heart related but having a veterinarian auscultate them is the first step. It may require x-rays to determine what it going on also. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You can try using a humidifier for the home or in areas where she resides most frequently. Making sure the home's air filter is changed every year is also a good idea and can help decrease some of the irritating allergens in the air. Using a harness on her instead of a lead and collar around the neck can help lessen stress around airways. Lastly, making sure she is in cool moist air and limiting time spent in hotter weather can help as well. If Tia's symptoms worsen or do not improve, a veterinary visit really is best in order to obtain a diagnosis so Tia can receive the most appropriate care and treatment. Causes of breathing difficulties are many and include heart conditions, certain lung conditions such as asthma or bronchitis, as well as upper respiratory infection, collapsing tracheal disorders, or primary lung tumors. Typically chest x-rays are taken to rule out the above conditions. I hope this helps and I wish you and Tia the best!

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.

Hello, 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 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.