I have an elderly dog who has developed a cough, today is

is she currently on any medications?

is she up to date on vaccines?

has there been any vomiting or diarrhoea?

is she still wanting to eat and is bright in herself?

thanks

Dr Jake

thank you for your reply.

we see coughing in dogs commonly. this is most often due to an upper respiratory condition also called kennel cough. it can be due to multiple viruses and or bacteria.

the symptoms can be alarming to owners because they think their dog has something stuck in their throat- it causes coughing fits following by retching and bringing up phlegm. it can make dogs tired, lethargic and put them off their food also.

these infections often take 7-14 days to fully resolve. I would recommend making an appointment with your vets for a full examination, for the throat and chest to be auscultated with a stethoscope to make sure there is no other concerns with her heart or chest and for her temperature to be taken to make sure she isnt running a fever. this is usually treated with anti inflammatory medications which can take 7-14 days to fully clear. if this hasnt improved then sometimes antibiotics are added in after this. please make sure she is up to date on worming tablets are lungworm can also cause coughing symptoms

i would also recommend keeping her exercise restricted for the next week as exercise can make the cough worse, also this often very contagious so make sure she isnt in contact with any other dogs.

i hope all this information helps

kind regards

Dr. Jake