Why is my senior Yorkie's cough worsening and has skin bumps?

I'm sorry to hear that Bella isn't feeling well! Did all of this start between November and now? If so, please take her to you vet for an exam. I am worried that she has a tumor that may be affecting either the back of her throat, her neck (the lump you are describing). Its also possible that she has cancer elsewhere, such as in her spinal cord if her gait has changed significantly (though this could be due to disc disease or other causes of spinal cord compression.) Take her back to your vet for an exam. It sounds like her overall quality of life is still good... however, your vet may be able to identify ways to help you keep her feeling good for longer. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

With her age I recommend letting a veterinarian listen to her lungs. It can be heart or respiratory. If she has a murmur you may want to consider taking her to a cardiologist to have her heart evaluated. If her heart sounds fine I would talk to your veterinarian about tracheal collapse or respiratory diseases. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

A cough can be caused by respiratory issues including lower airway disease or upper airway disease like a collapsing trachea. It can also be a sign of heart disease. Teddie needs to be assessed by a veterinarian to determine the cause of the cough and for recommendations to be made about what could benefit him from a medical perspective. They may want to perform x-rays to assess his heart and lungs.

I would be extremely concerned about her having a cardiac issue. Please take her to your vet so they can check to see if she has a heart murmur as that can lead to heart failure. Coughing is one of the first symptoms. She is the right age and breed for this to be happening. The other likely cause would be a collapsing trachea. So again, please take her to your vet for an exam. Best wishes.

You need to get Bella to a vet as soon as possible. I do not know why she is showing these symptoms as they are not specific for any one illness or disease process. This sounds very serious. If you want to give her the best chance of recovery/survival you need to get her to a vet right away. Best wishes.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Increased resting respiratory rate is always a concern. It could be caused by heart problems or lungs disease (infection, inflammation, lung mass etc). Sometimes faster respiration is due to collapsed trachea and upper airways infection (common in Yorkies) or abdominal pathology. Please, get in touch with your vet as Bella should be checked over. Your vet may recommend chest x-ray, heart scan or abdominal ultrasound to make the final diagnosis.

I'm sorry to hear that Bella has been coughing so much. Coughing can be a sign of underlying heart disease (including congestive heart failure), collapsing trachea, chronic bronchitis, heartworm disease, pneumonia, among others. I strongly recommend taking her to a vet for evaluation because she will likely need chest x-rays to get to the bottom of this issue. I understand your financial concerns, but fortunately there are some resources available to help. Care Credit (carecredit.com) can provide financing options. There are also many non-profit organizations that provide financial assistance for veterinary care (redrover.org, humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962, bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets, lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/, https://getyourpet.com). I hope that all goes well for Bella!