My senior dog is sneezing and congested. When should I see a vet?

These signs could be compatible with a respiratory tract inflammation/infection or potentially could be related to heart disease. Considering the lethargy, a systemic sign, I would recommend a check up as soon as possible to determine the underlying cause and establish appropriate treatment. Antibiotics may be needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Gabby may have a mild upper respiratory infection. if she seems fine otherwise, and the congestion seems to be getting better, then she is dealing with it on her own just fine and I wouldn't worry. If her symptoms worsen, or if she stops eating and playing normally, then she likely needs an exam by a vet and some antibiotics and perhaps antihistamines. Hope that helps!

Hi, and thanks for your question. This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a rhinitis (inflammatory, allergic, infective). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Poor Roxey. The changing of seasons can certainly cause these guys to get some congestion. Unfortunately since Roxey is older, I would take her to your vet for an exam. She could have a simple upper respiratory infection or something more serious like the canine flu, heart disease, or even pneumonia. Your vet will be able to listen to her heart and lungs. Your vet can also do blood work or chest X-rays if needed and provide the proper medicine to help make her feel better. Unfortunately there isn’t a good OTC medicine to help her feel better. You can try 75 mg (3 adult tablets) of Benadryl twice a day until you can get her to the vet. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better really soon.

I'm concerned the congestion could be due to Chloe's heart disease. As time goes on, heart disease does get worse. Sneezing could be due to irritation to her nasal passages. I'd have her seen by a vet in the morning for this.

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.

Yes, there are a few home remedies you can try to see if that helps with Rosco's congestion. I would bring him into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections. You can also put him in a small room with a humidifier to see if that helps with his congestion. Do not give him any human medications for his congestion, many are toxic to dogs. If he's still suffering with the congestion on Friday, take him into the vet.