Sick dog question?

[Wcross]

My dog Angel has had coughing fits as of Sunday. She goes for about a half hour and she produces some spit when she is finished. I had her vaccinated for kennel cough four months ago. She can still run without getting winded and doesn't seem to be wheezing. She doesn't seem out of sorts either.
She is a farm dog and does eat wild game from time to time (its bunny rabbit season right now). She also has long hair which may be the cause (hairball?) Any ideas? We have had a stretch of REALLY humid weather as of late- maybe the smog has gotten to her?
I won't be able to take her to the vet til Wednesday due to work constraints (Of course I will take a vacation day if her life is in danger).

Thanks all!



Angel and her catch of the day.

[Padraig18]

1. Have her checked for heartworms.

:)

[Wcross]

3. Not sure its heartworm

She had a checkup when I took her in for her spaying. From what I have seen about heartworm she would have a soft dry cough, hers are loud and hacking like she is trying to clear sinus drip.

[salinen]

2. Dogs can have allergies

and asthma. Vet will know.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

4. Half hour coughing fits?

thats sounds rough. I hope Angel gets better soon.

[DavidMS]

5. That does sound awful

Poor Angel.

I have a dog and whenever he coughs its sounds awful.

[LisaM]

6. Benadryl is safe for dogs

I give one to one of mine for her allergies. One SMALL one in a half a snausage.

[AbbeyRoad]

7. Your Angel has some beautiful white fur

My dog eats only dog food and the occassional scrap (It's hard to resist the begging :) ), but sometimes I treat her to a hambone. I've noticed a couple times that after she eats the bone, maybe the same day or even the next, she sometimes has has a hacking fit and spits up phlegm and bone fragments. I don't know if this is in any way related to your situation, but I was just trying to brainstorm. If she continues having the coughing fits, I'd take her to the vet.

I hope Angel gets better soon.

[Carolina]

8. how old is Angel?

Are there any changes in her appetite/diet, activity level, sleep habits or behavior? How often since Sunday (when you first noticed them) have the coughing fits occurred? Is the phlegm thick and cloudy (yellowish) or watery and thin? Any precipitating events you can think of?

I don't have a clue but these are the kinds of questions we'd ask a human with sudden onset of cough (along with social habits like smoking, use of inhalants...). Congestive heart failure can cause a wet cough but Angel appears young and, by your description, spry without other symptoms suggestive of heart disease.

Good luck.

[Bluebear]

9. Carolina is right. My beloved doggy died last month....

and I don't want to frighten you but he died of congestive heart failure (only 5 years old :(( 2 different vets diagnosed it as kennel cough. He finally died at the last vets office right after they took his X-ray. The questions about appetite etc are especially vital. When you see the vet I would urge an x-ray, I wish I had originally but they are the experts and all that. good luck!!

[AbbeyRoad]

10. Oh, I'm sorry about your dog, plastic_turkeys

5 years old is so young.

[Bluebear]

11. Thanks Abbey. He was a fine and noble basset :)

[Carolina]

14. basset's are darling critters

I have a basset-mix (basset mom and whatever jumped the fence dad) and a beagle. Sorry for your loss, 5 years is young.

[Wcross]

12. Angel is a rescued dog, I guess 4 years old or so.

The discharge is like human spit, no discoloration. The only change has been the weather.

[Carolina]

16. I am at a loss

then and hope the vet can figure this out.

Good luck.

[testing123]

13. Is she sticking her nose up in the air and trying to catch her breath?

My Dog had fluid drained off of his lungs from the age of 6 until he died at 12 years old.

He had congestive heart failure and if she is treated right away she can live for a number of years because she is still a young dog.

She is very pretty.

[Wcross]

15. No, she keeps her head down....

She seems to be good tonight, the fits are shorter and she only had two.



here she is with two of her three pups and Buddy(upper left) the sire of the litters.

[testing123]

17. Your dogs are beautiful

I don't think that it's congestive heart failure.

Have you had her checked for Lyme Disease?