My senior dog has heart failure, coughing, and won't eat. What to do?

I'm sorry Maggie is not feeling well. I am very concerned about her not wanting to eat and coughing up so much phlegm. I am worried she may have persistent heart failure and bringing up phlegm puts her at risk for aspiration pneumonia. I think she should be hospitalized until the coughing can be improved.

Coughing and not really eating in a dog with a heart murmur(s) could point to congestive heart failure. Please take her to a vet immediately. You cannot wait. Maybe you can find assistance with vet bills through this link. https://www.dogingtonpost.com/need-help-with-vet-bills-or-pet-food-there-are-resources-available/ https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=8501760

Coughing can be caused by heart failure. If this is a new symptom after starting meds, or is worsening, it would be best to let the vet treating Lola know so that they can either re-examine her or adjust meds as needed. If she is coughing a lot and is in distress, or is having trouble breathing, seeking emergency care is best.

I'm sorry that Princess is so sick! I would try to tempt her to eat by offering her small amounts of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) and white rice. You can also soak her dry food in gently warmed low sodium beef or chicken broth. Should she refuse to eat any of these choices, I would take Princess back into the vet who can give her a medication that may stimulate her appetite.

I'm so sorry that Jenny isn't feeling well. You are correct, it sounds like she is showing signs of congestive heart failure. Unfortunately there are no over the counter medications you can give her for this. She really needs to see a vet. She needs diuretics, ace inhibitors and a drug to help her heart contract better (pimobendan). With these medications on board many dogs can live for quite some time and have a good quality of life. Without the medications I am afraid she won't well. I found this website that may help you in finding some low cost vet care in your area: https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/care/vetcare I hope this helps. Best wishes to you and Jenny.

I would always be concerned about the development of a cough in an older dog. Firstly it could be due to an infection, chest infections can be serious. It could be an inflammatory conditiion such as bronchitis or asthma. Of course it could be a heart issue like you say and there is the possibility of masses also. The best plan would be to go to the vet for sn examination, an xray may be needed to get a diagnosis.

Hello. At this age, Shortie needs a good workup by your veterinarian. A cough can be from many causes including inflammation, bronchitis, pneumonia, tumors & heart disease. No appetite can also result from the above, but also from oral infections, liver, kidney or other endocrine diseases. So in order to help him, you need to know what is or is not going on with him. With a proper diagnosis, the appropriate treatment can be started to help Shortie feel much better. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.