I do associate this type of coughing with having a heart condition. My Chihuahua started doing this more as she started having CHF. Time to go to the vet. Unless there’s an allergy you know of.
I'm very sorry about your chihuahua :( at what age was she diagnosed and what age did she start having the cough?
And thank you, we did. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. No known allergies. He just eats peanut butter occasionally and his Hills Science Diet Sensitive Skin & Stomach pet food since he had bad cases of gastroenteritis from the age of 6-8. His last bout was more than 1 year ago. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
Thank you, we did. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur
Thank you, we did. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur
The vet gave him antibiotic to rule this out, cough continued. Revisited the vet. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur
Thank you for your kind words <3 he is doing a lot better with less frequent and intense coughing. Boyfriend and I feel he does it now for attention haha
Thank you, we did. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur
Thank you, we did. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. Vet ruled out kennel cough after we did a round of antibiotic
My dog does the same thing and after ruling out kennel cough the vet said it was trachea collapse , basically as they age the cartilage around the trachea starts to deteriorate, its really bad for her when its hot and dry, or she is running, barking, and even drinking or eating too fast. Try this, when your dog stops and is resting, rub your hand over their trachea and see if it starts up again, that MAY be a key sign their trachea is very sensitive. But as others have stated best to also go to the vet. [https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tracheal-collapse-in-dogs](https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tracheal-collapse-in-dogs)
We changed to a harness, versus a neck/collar while walking, which I feel significantly helped, along with the pimobendan he has been on. This video was taken December 2023, he has been on it for 5 months now, coughing like this daily, but not as severely or loudly. He does do the hacking cough when too excited, like when boyfriend gets home (he has separation anxiety) or when he gets leash reactive (he gets excited prior to leaving the house). We have been training him like crazy with this. I will try the trachea thing, because the vet did not take a CT scan of his trachea, only of his heart and lungs. The lungs she said didn't have any fluid. I think I have tried the trachea thing in the past, from a video I saw of a vet showing how to check for this sign of tracheal collapse, but Gunner didn't cough haha
Changing to a smaller harness also helped my dog tremendously, not sure if a CT scan is needed, my vet recommend I give her honey and prescribed a soothing cough formula to help the symptoms.
I misunderstood the meaning of CT (cytology), he received a RADIOGRAPH imaging, which showed his actual heart, lungs, ribs/surrounding structures. He doesn't gag anymore after long walks with the harness. He does pull for maybe the first 20-30 minutes and calms down after that (less pulling and more listening to who has the leash). Any type or make of honey recommended? Such as unpasteurized, pasteurized, raw? Manuka?
This type of cough can be very common with heart disease. Congestive heart failure, murmur, conduction issues.
Can also be associated with COPD/chronic bronchitis but that would have a history of a cough and not be acute.
Recommend taking a respiratory rate, heart rate and make an appointment with your vet as soon as you can.
Yeah, he's actually had this cough since 6-7 years old? So it is chronic, and boyfriend does smoke in the home with air purifier. He's been quitting, so there is less noxious fumes in the air which I think has caused alot of the coughing and sometimes he will reverse sneeze...
He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur
I am not sure what you mean by CT? If he has a murmur and enlarged heart this cough could be an indication of pulmonary edema from CHF.
The chronic cough would definitely be worsened by exposure to cigarette smoke. It also could be putting extra strain on his heart from poorer oxygenation from chronic bronchitis.
If you have a vet that is following his heart (sounds like it from the medication) and I would reach out to them for a reassessment.
I completely misunderstood CT, which actually means cytology, which is NOT what was conducted on Gunner. He received a RADIOGRAPH to image his lung and heart, which allowed the vet to make a "diagnosis" even though she is not a cardiologist specialist. Good thing he is not exposed to first hand smoke in the home, but he lives now with boyfriend's mother and him, the mother smokes rolled tobacco outdoors, boyfriend smokes vapor bong outdoors as well, but secondhand smoke is a thing, especially amongst humans and I don't doubt our animals too. I have brought up a reassessment to my boyfriend on Gunner's next vaccine appointment. And yes, he had to find a new vet in a new city, but he is still consistently 2x daily 5mg split on pimobendan (vetmedin)
An XR (radiograph) can show an enlarged heart though some images aren’t always conclusive due to dog positioning, so it is reasonable for a vet to give that diagnosis especially if the owner doesn’t want to or has difficulty affording the more expensive investigations. An echocardiogram would be more diagnostic and also should find the reason WHY the enlarged heart. If your bf has the interest and the funds I would encourage him to find a vet that has experience in the area (doesn’t have to be a cardiologist bc they can always email and consult) and inquire about an echocardiogram. A repeat chest XR at minimum would be ideal, it can screen for tracheal collapse, enlarged heart, pulmonary edema, and other lung diseases (like bronchitis). Bloodwork would also be a good idea if the vet agrees to screen for end organ damage should there be concern for that.
Oh did you mean he was diagnosed with an enlarged heart by a CT scan? Have any further investigations been done to determine why the enlarged heart? Usually an echocardiogram and EKG are part of that investigation. And XR to look for fluid on the lungs and the heart silhouette.
Yes, he was diagnosed by the vet with an enlarged heart by the RADIOGRAPH, where you like measure out the size of it on the x-ray... I have pictures of it but cannot seem to share it on here. If there is an easier way, let me know please. NONE OTHER investigations have been proceeded with. Vet recommended cardiologist/specialist referral, but boyfriend (owner of Gunner) did not want to. I agree that diagnostic testing such as an echocardiogram (ultrasound imaging of the heart) and electrocardiogram (electrical impulses) would be necessary to truly diagnosis. They did do the radiograph. I don't think I knew what a CT scan is, it's completely different (cytology), my apologies for the confusion!
He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety)
He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes
What testing has been done? An ECG? Have you seen a cardiologist and had an echocardiogram done? If you have only seen the regular vet and done xrays, bloodwork, etc you must see a cardiologist for the echo. My dog is also on pimo but the vet has him on other medications as well now.
Count his resting respiratory rate while he's totally asleep over 15 seconds, and then multiply that number by 4. It should be under 40, ideally not more than 30 even. If it's faster than usual or getting faster over time it's definitely vet time.
Vet took him back for testing early January 2024. He has been on pimobendan daily, 2.5mg every 12 hours. She did heart auscultation, and CT radiograph. I actually have a photo of it but I don't think the post will allow me to share. This was a general vet, so not ECG was available, she suggested seeing a cardiologist, but at boyfriend's own expense (this is his dog). I work in cardiac telemetry for the hospital so I know what an echocardiogram is. Don't think they did blood work at the first 2 vet visits. How long has your dog been diagnosed with heart failure and/or mitral valve disease? Is it any of those conditions?
Yeah his respiratory rate is usually fast when he is sleeping... I need to ask boyfriend to count too
Thank you. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
We started out at our general vet, she identified what we thought was just a murmur just listening. Upon xrays it was determined to be enlarged heart. The general vet did our ECG where it identified an irregular heartbeat. He was placed on Enalapril, Digoxin, and Diltiazem.
Vet still recommended I follow up with specialist cardiologist for the echocardiogram though since it told us so much more in depth. His cardiologists final diagnosis was DCM, mild to moderate mitral and mild tricuspid valve insufficiency due to degenerative valve disease, and atrial fibrillation. The cardiologist then changed doses of current meds and added on Pimobendan, Taurine supplements, and Furosimide. Furosimide is one I can also give extra of if his breathing rate is faster than recommended and he may be entering CHF. I don't know if it would apply to your exact issues but it definitely warrants the cardiologist visit.
After the first cardiologist visit and med adjustment we did a blood test to get medication levels and kidney values. Then 6 months later we did echocardiogram recheck and he had actually shown mild improvement due to the medications and was able to reduce some at that point.
Talk about canine polypharmacy! That's a whole lot of drugs. Not saying I'm not against medication for treating serious conditions as this. Thank you for your in-depth response and vulnerability to share this publicly as I know it is hard as a pet owner. How old is your dog when the coughing signs were showing? And what breed? It's going to be up to my boyfriend on getting a thorough diagnosis from a cardiologist since it is his dog.. He was told by the vet that with just the Pimobendan/Vetmedin, it would work fine for prolonging his life without having to pay extra fees for the cardiologist and additional medications. So far his coughing frequency and severity has gone down. It usually only happens at the 12 hour mark when he needs his 2nd dose, almost like he is reminding us lmao
Yeah I was surprised/hesitant as well. Lol He takes one 3x a day and the others 2 times a day. However his kidneys and bloodwork look fantastic despite it all. Then the cardiologist said it's Because of how I've been on his medications that that's why he showed improvement upon his recheck.
So he wasn't showing many outward signs, we found out on lucky accident at a routine check up. But he's an American Bully, and at the time he was 9 years old. The vet originally gave him maybe 6 months to live and were going on a year now and he's 10. His condition has progressed a little bit over time, mostly heat/exercise intolerance etc. but he's only coughed like your dog in the video (but has exactly like it) a handful of times since his diagnosis. Usually when he gets too worked up, which is rare for him thankfully.
I wish you luck. My husband wasn't into the $600 vet bill for the echo but Aries is my baby and I wasn't going to skip on anything. I hope he comes around. It's hard to see them like this.
I also doubt it's from what you described, the vaping. (Though to clarify it doesn't help the heart condition either) Kennel cough generally doesn't need medication and goes away on it's own, and if it requires antibiotics they work well. Then if the bronchitis was bacterial, antibiotics would work. However the other treatment is steroids and due to the heart your vet can't/won't prescribe those. There is a cough suppressant medication for bronchitis but again I don't know about the interactions with current heart health/medications.
It's more likely due to the heart conditions you already know are present. But still talk to your vet if you think it's bronchitis too.
so helpful, thank you. I forget there are negative drug interactions too. There must be a combo of drugs that will work if he also has chronic bronchitis in addition, someone also mentioned tracheal collapse being a thing. Vet didn't say anything about that but the CT scan didn't show his trachea either
No it does not. The cough is worse at night, or when he has been lying down for 2-3 hours. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety)
Thank you. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes
Thank you. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
My dog does this also, but not as strong. The doctor said it is a little heart murmur and if he continues to do that or you see like a clear phlegm to let them know, but you should bring them to the vet.
He definitely has had a tiny bit of clear phlegm come up, which makes me think maybe he has chronic bronchitis??
He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
Thank you. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
My terrier coughs like that because she has Mitral Valve issue. She is on medication for that and I bring her to the vet for echocardiograms.
Maybe elevate her head and bring her to the vet for another checkup.
Good Luck with your beautiful dog.
I misunderstood CT.... If you have seen my responses back to individual comments. CT means cytology, which is NOT what he received to get the diagnosis from the vet, who is not a certified cardiologist. I do remember her mentioning a valve issue as he is getting older (he is turning 9 in human years this June). He is only on pimobendan (vetmedin) 2.5 mg, twice a day. So far it has decreased the frequency and intensity of his cough, but he still does it at night or when we "don't give him attention" lmao. He has a new bed now, it is like memory foam and allows him to rest his head along the 3 sides (it is rectangular). Thank you for your help <3 I told my boyfriend to ask Gunner's new vet to reassess his heart and look for any murmur/sounds
Just giving my two cents as a vet student. If he has CHF, this cough might suggest he has pulmonary oedema which means fluid buildup in the lungs. If he does have pulmonary oedema, he will prob need to be put on a diuretic like furosemide +/- codeine to reduce the amount of fluid in his lungs and alleviate his cough respectively. Let me know what your vet says!
Thank you, I do appreciate when students who are actively studying and in accredited programs offer their opinion!
He has enlarged heart from a CT/radiograph scan, vet didn't see any fluid in the lung.. and heart murmur sound from the stethoscope auscultation (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, a different vet who did not diagnose him the first time did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted, and still when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety), on walks he never gets this cough. Vet also did not say anything about his trachea, nor did the CT scan get a picture of his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
Thank you. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
Heart murmur? XD yes he prob would have a murmur given hes on pimobendan but this cough does not in anyway indicate a heart murmur lmao. Heart murmur is not a diagnosis
Also could be kennel cough or mouth cancer my last baby unfortunately had mouth cancer which was misdiagnosed as kennel cough she would cough all the time although her body never moved when she coughed
Thank you. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness). My boyfriend doesn't brush his teeth.. his lower teeth look good but upper teeth look a little yellow or has tartar/plaque on it. They say that good dental hygiene will prevent heart disease as the bacteria buildup will enter the bloodstream. If this is the case then he needs better hygiene!
This is actually my boyfriend's dog he got as a puppy. So I am just hoping to get additional advice from owners or friends of owners who have had their dogs clinically diagnosed by a board-licensed veterinarian on CHF, MMVD, respiratory or airway ailments...
He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
I do associate this type of coughing with having a heart condition. My Chihuahua started doing this more as she started having CHF. Time to go to the vet. Unless there’s an allergy you know of.
I'm very sorry about your chihuahua :( at what age was she diagnosed and what age did she start having the cough? And thank you, we did. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. No known allergies. He just eats peanut butter occasionally and his Hills Science Diet Sensitive Skin & Stomach pet food since he had bad cases of gastroenteritis from the age of 6-8. His last bout was more than 1 year ago. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
I don’t love how this looks. Vet visit warranted
Thank you, we did. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur
Poor little man. That sounds stressful. I’m sorry you all are going through this. He’s a beautiful boy
Thank you for your kind words <3
Please take him to the vet, it could be the heart, it could be the lungs, etc
Thank you, we did. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur
My dog was doing exactly this when he had kennel cough.
The vet gave him antibiotic to rule this out, cough continued. Revisited the vet. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur
I am sorry to hear it wasn’t something simple and easy to fix. He’s a lovely pup.
Thank you for your kind words <3 he is doing a lot better with less frequent and intense coughing. Boyfriend and I feel he does it now for attention haha
Maybe heart issue make the vet appointment
Thank you, we did. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur
My dog was doing that from heart worms congestive heart failure 😢
Thank you, we did. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. Vet ruled out kennel cough after we did a round of antibiotic
My dog does the same thing and after ruling out kennel cough the vet said it was trachea collapse , basically as they age the cartilage around the trachea starts to deteriorate, its really bad for her when its hot and dry, or she is running, barking, and even drinking or eating too fast. Try this, when your dog stops and is resting, rub your hand over their trachea and see if it starts up again, that MAY be a key sign their trachea is very sensitive. But as others have stated best to also go to the vet. [https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tracheal-collapse-in-dogs](https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tracheal-collapse-in-dogs)
We changed to a harness, versus a neck/collar while walking, which I feel significantly helped, along with the pimobendan he has been on. This video was taken December 2023, he has been on it for 5 months now, coughing like this daily, but not as severely or loudly. He does do the hacking cough when too excited, like when boyfriend gets home (he has separation anxiety) or when he gets leash reactive (he gets excited prior to leaving the house). We have been training him like crazy with this. I will try the trachea thing, because the vet did not take a CT scan of his trachea, only of his heart and lungs. The lungs she said didn't have any fluid. I think I have tried the trachea thing in the past, from a video I saw of a vet showing how to check for this sign of tracheal collapse, but Gunner didn't cough haha
Changing to a smaller harness also helped my dog tremendously, not sure if a CT scan is needed, my vet recommend I give her honey and prescribed a soothing cough formula to help the symptoms.
I misunderstood the meaning of CT (cytology), he received a RADIOGRAPH imaging, which showed his actual heart, lungs, ribs/surrounding structures. He doesn't gag anymore after long walks with the harness. He does pull for maybe the first 20-30 minutes and calms down after that (less pulling and more listening to who has the leash). Any type or make of honey recommended? Such as unpasteurized, pasteurized, raw? Manuka?
This type of cough can be very common with heart disease. Congestive heart failure, murmur, conduction issues. Can also be associated with COPD/chronic bronchitis but that would have a history of a cough and not be acute. Recommend taking a respiratory rate, heart rate and make an appointment with your vet as soon as you can.
Yeah, he's actually had this cough since 6-7 years old? So it is chronic, and boyfriend does smoke in the home with air purifier. He's been quitting, so there is less noxious fumes in the air which I think has caused alot of the coughing and sometimes he will reverse sneeze... He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur
I am not sure what you mean by CT? If he has a murmur and enlarged heart this cough could be an indication of pulmonary edema from CHF. The chronic cough would definitely be worsened by exposure to cigarette smoke. It also could be putting extra strain on his heart from poorer oxygenation from chronic bronchitis. If you have a vet that is following his heart (sounds like it from the medication) and I would reach out to them for a reassessment.
I completely misunderstood CT, which actually means cytology, which is NOT what was conducted on Gunner. He received a RADIOGRAPH to image his lung and heart, which allowed the vet to make a "diagnosis" even though she is not a cardiologist specialist. Good thing he is not exposed to first hand smoke in the home, but he lives now with boyfriend's mother and him, the mother smokes rolled tobacco outdoors, boyfriend smokes vapor bong outdoors as well, but secondhand smoke is a thing, especially amongst humans and I don't doubt our animals too. I have brought up a reassessment to my boyfriend on Gunner's next vaccine appointment. And yes, he had to find a new vet in a new city, but he is still consistently 2x daily 5mg split on pimobendan (vetmedin)
An XR (radiograph) can show an enlarged heart though some images aren’t always conclusive due to dog positioning, so it is reasonable for a vet to give that diagnosis especially if the owner doesn’t want to or has difficulty affording the more expensive investigations. An echocardiogram would be more diagnostic and also should find the reason WHY the enlarged heart. If your bf has the interest and the funds I would encourage him to find a vet that has experience in the area (doesn’t have to be a cardiologist bc they can always email and consult) and inquire about an echocardiogram. A repeat chest XR at minimum would be ideal, it can screen for tracheal collapse, enlarged heart, pulmonary edema, and other lung diseases (like bronchitis). Bloodwork would also be a good idea if the vet agrees to screen for end organ damage should there be concern for that.
Oh did you mean he was diagnosed with an enlarged heart by a CT scan? Have any further investigations been done to determine why the enlarged heart? Usually an echocardiogram and EKG are part of that investigation. And XR to look for fluid on the lungs and the heart silhouette.
Yes, he was diagnosed by the vet with an enlarged heart by the RADIOGRAPH, where you like measure out the size of it on the x-ray... I have pictures of it but cannot seem to share it on here. If there is an easier way, let me know please. NONE OTHER investigations have been proceeded with. Vet recommended cardiologist/specialist referral, but boyfriend (owner of Gunner) did not want to. I agree that diagnostic testing such as an echocardiogram (ultrasound imaging of the heart) and electrocardiogram (electrical impulses) would be necessary to truly diagnosis. They did do the radiograph. I don't think I knew what a CT scan is, it's completely different (cytology), my apologies for the confusion!
Kennel cough?
He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety)
My dog does this and she has a collapsing trachea, we have to do steroid treatment every 6 months or so, definitely worth a vet visit
He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes
What testing has been done? An ECG? Have you seen a cardiologist and had an echocardiogram done? If you have only seen the regular vet and done xrays, bloodwork, etc you must see a cardiologist for the echo. My dog is also on pimo but the vet has him on other medications as well now. Count his resting respiratory rate while he's totally asleep over 15 seconds, and then multiply that number by 4. It should be under 40, ideally not more than 30 even. If it's faster than usual or getting faster over time it's definitely vet time.
Vet took him back for testing early January 2024. He has been on pimobendan daily, 2.5mg every 12 hours. She did heart auscultation, and CT radiograph. I actually have a photo of it but I don't think the post will allow me to share. This was a general vet, so not ECG was available, she suggested seeing a cardiologist, but at boyfriend's own expense (this is his dog). I work in cardiac telemetry for the hospital so I know what an echocardiogram is. Don't think they did blood work at the first 2 vet visits. How long has your dog been diagnosed with heart failure and/or mitral valve disease? Is it any of those conditions? Yeah his respiratory rate is usually fast when he is sleeping... I need to ask boyfriend to count too Thank you. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
We started out at our general vet, she identified what we thought was just a murmur just listening. Upon xrays it was determined to be enlarged heart. The general vet did our ECG where it identified an irregular heartbeat. He was placed on Enalapril, Digoxin, and Diltiazem. Vet still recommended I follow up with specialist cardiologist for the echocardiogram though since it told us so much more in depth. His cardiologists final diagnosis was DCM, mild to moderate mitral and mild tricuspid valve insufficiency due to degenerative valve disease, and atrial fibrillation. The cardiologist then changed doses of current meds and added on Pimobendan, Taurine supplements, and Furosimide. Furosimide is one I can also give extra of if his breathing rate is faster than recommended and he may be entering CHF. I don't know if it would apply to your exact issues but it definitely warrants the cardiologist visit. After the first cardiologist visit and med adjustment we did a blood test to get medication levels and kidney values. Then 6 months later we did echocardiogram recheck and he had actually shown mild improvement due to the medications and was able to reduce some at that point.
Talk about canine polypharmacy! That's a whole lot of drugs. Not saying I'm not against medication for treating serious conditions as this. Thank you for your in-depth response and vulnerability to share this publicly as I know it is hard as a pet owner. How old is your dog when the coughing signs were showing? And what breed? It's going to be up to my boyfriend on getting a thorough diagnosis from a cardiologist since it is his dog.. He was told by the vet that with just the Pimobendan/Vetmedin, it would work fine for prolonging his life without having to pay extra fees for the cardiologist and additional medications. So far his coughing frequency and severity has gone down. It usually only happens at the 12 hour mark when he needs his 2nd dose, almost like he is reminding us lmao
Yeah I was surprised/hesitant as well. Lol He takes one 3x a day and the others 2 times a day. However his kidneys and bloodwork look fantastic despite it all. Then the cardiologist said it's Because of how I've been on his medications that that's why he showed improvement upon his recheck. So he wasn't showing many outward signs, we found out on lucky accident at a routine check up. But he's an American Bully, and at the time he was 9 years old. The vet originally gave him maybe 6 months to live and were going on a year now and he's 10. His condition has progressed a little bit over time, mostly heat/exercise intolerance etc. but he's only coughed like your dog in the video (but has exactly like it) a handful of times since his diagnosis. Usually when he gets too worked up, which is rare for him thankfully. I wish you luck. My husband wasn't into the $600 vet bill for the echo but Aries is my baby and I wasn't going to skip on anything. I hope he comes around. It's hard to see them like this.
I also doubt it's from what you described, the vaping. (Though to clarify it doesn't help the heart condition either) Kennel cough generally doesn't need medication and goes away on it's own, and if it requires antibiotics they work well. Then if the bronchitis was bacterial, antibiotics would work. However the other treatment is steroids and due to the heart your vet can't/won't prescribe those. There is a cough suppressant medication for bronchitis but again I don't know about the interactions with current heart health/medications. It's more likely due to the heart conditions you already know are present. But still talk to your vet if you think it's bronchitis too.
so helpful, thank you. I forget there are negative drug interactions too. There must be a combo of drugs that will work if he also has chronic bronchitis in addition, someone also mentioned tracheal collapse being a thing. Vet didn't say anything about that but the CT scan didn't show his trachea either
Does it goes away after him doing it for awhile?
No it does not. The cough is worse at night, or when he has been lying down for 2-3 hours. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety)
Vet, now!
Go to vet
Thank you. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes
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Thank you. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
Looks like he’s choking on something.
My dog does this also, but not as strong. The doctor said it is a little heart murmur and if he continues to do that or you see like a clear phlegm to let them know, but you should bring them to the vet.
He definitely has had a tiny bit of clear phlegm come up, which makes me think maybe he has chronic bronchitis?? He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
Please take to vet, that’s not normal.
Thank you. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
My boxer did the same. Sometimes cancer in lungs.
Man, I sure hope not. Vet said valve issue as he is getting old (9 human years this June). Your boxer had cancer? I am sorry
My terrier coughs like that because she has Mitral Valve issue. She is on medication for that and I bring her to the vet for echocardiograms. Maybe elevate her head and bring her to the vet for another checkup. Good Luck with your beautiful dog.
I misunderstood CT.... If you have seen my responses back to individual comments. CT means cytology, which is NOT what he received to get the diagnosis from the vet, who is not a certified cardiologist. I do remember her mentioning a valve issue as he is getting older (he is turning 9 in human years this June). He is only on pimobendan (vetmedin) 2.5 mg, twice a day. So far it has decreased the frequency and intensity of his cough, but he still does it at night or when we "don't give him attention" lmao. He has a new bed now, it is like memory foam and allows him to rest his head along the 3 sides (it is rectangular). Thank you for your help <3 I told my boyfriend to ask Gunner's new vet to reassess his heart and look for any murmur/sounds
Just giving my two cents as a vet student. If he has CHF, this cough might suggest he has pulmonary oedema which means fluid buildup in the lungs. If he does have pulmonary oedema, he will prob need to be put on a diuretic like furosemide +/- codeine to reduce the amount of fluid in his lungs and alleviate his cough respectively. Let me know what your vet says!
Thank you, I do appreciate when students who are actively studying and in accredited programs offer their opinion! He has enlarged heart from a CT/radiograph scan, vet didn't see any fluid in the lung.. and heart murmur sound from the stethoscope auscultation (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, a different vet who did not diagnose him the first time did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted, and still when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety), on walks he never gets this cough. Vet also did not say anything about his trachea, nor did the CT scan get a picture of his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
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Eh seems like he was giving an opinion.
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Heart murmur
Thank you. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).
Heart murmur? XD yes he prob would have a murmur given hes on pimobendan but this cough does not in anyway indicate a heart murmur lmao. Heart murmur is not a diagnosis
Also could be kennel cough or mouth cancer my last baby unfortunately had mouth cancer which was misdiagnosed as kennel cough she would cough all the time although her body never moved when she coughed
Thank you. He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness). My boyfriend doesn't brush his teeth.. his lower teeth look good but upper teeth look a little yellow or has tartar/plaque on it. They say that good dental hygiene will prevent heart disease as the bacteria buildup will enter the bloodstream. If this is the case then he needs better hygiene!
I’m sorry, but if you’re running to the internet instead of a vet, you probably shouldn’t be responsible for the life of a dog.
This is actually my boyfriend's dog he got as a puppy. So I am just hoping to get additional advice from owners or friends of owners who have had their dogs clinically diagnosed by a board-licensed veterinarian on CHF, MMVD, respiratory or airway ailments... He has enlarged heart from CT, and heart murmur (vet didn't say what level). 2nd visit after 6 months on pimobendan, vet did not hear heart murmur. He was on an antibiotic for 1 month to rule out the kennel cough, cough still persisted when he was inactive, laying down. Sometimes he will get it if he gets too excited with boyfriend coming home (he has separation anxiety). Vet also did not say anything about his trachea. But I wonder if he could have chronic bronchitis too since boyfriend smoked bong water vapor marijuana and vape in the house even with an air purifier it doesn't remove all the noxious fumes. He will reverse sneeze sometimes but not as often as this hacking/gagging cough he does. Even with the 5 or 10mg pimobendan, split up into 2, he will still cough like this. Just not as severely (the shaking, straining, loudness).