My 14-year-old Chihuahua is coughing; how can I catch her for the vet?

Poor Charlie. There are a lot of different causes for coughing. He could have a severe upper respiratory infection/kennel cough, heart disease or even pneumonia. The yelping when being picked up is likely unrelated but could be due to him hurting somewhere in his back or abdomen. Both of these problems call for an exam by your vet in order to listen to his heart and lungs and also palpating his back, abdomen and other joints to find out why exactly he is helping. I would try to video the cough to help the vet make a proper diagnosis. Your vet will be able to take X-rays if needed and also get him started on the proper meds to help him feel better. They will also be able to prescribe something for the cough to help everyone rest a little better at night. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better really soon !

Poor Chloe! You can put her in a steamy bathroom for five minutes twice a day. Start her on an omega-3 fatty acid supplement for pets as this can help to condition the lining of her trachea. You can also try an over-the-counter antihistamine but you will have to call your regular veterinarian for a recommendation as online veterinarians are prohibited from discussing human medication usage in pets. If the coughing continues beyond two days or if it gets worse, have her examined by the veterinarian.

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.

Pharmacy law does not allow online veterinarians to advise clients regarding the use of human medications in pets. You may call your normal veterinarian who may be able to advise you. I do recommend to have Coco examined by the veterinarian today. A bad cough can be a sign of many things, some of which are serious like fluid in the lungs, heart failure or severe collapsing trachea. These issues need to be addressed quickly and with medication that only the doctor can provide. I hope Coco starts feeling better quickly.

I would recommend bringing Chelsea back to the veterinarian and getting x-rays of her chest. This will tell you if she has something lung related. There are a lot of different things that can cause a cough. It can be anything from a tracheal collapse to a lung lesion. Without chest x-rays it is hard to say what is causing the cough. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I'd be worried because this can be a sign of something serious like heart disease. I'd have Skippu seen by a vet today for a physical exam, geriatric blood work, a urinalysis, and possibly chest x-rays. Based on the results of those tests, the vet can make a diagnosis and discuss what treatment options are available. I hope this helps!

I always think a cough is worth evaluating. Some reasons are more benign than others, but it is always a good idea to know why your dog is coughing so you can be aware of how it may progress and prevent future problems. The first step is to have your veterinarian examine Scooter and take x-rays of his chest. That will evaluate his trachea for tracheal collapse (https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1527), his lungs for evidence of bronchitis (https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3151), his heart for evidence of heart disease, as well as a number of other conditions. Each of those diseases has different treatments and potential complications, so we want to know what to expect in the future if Scooter has any of those diseases. And sometimes treatment will really help them feel better even if you think his lack of activity is normal for him, it may be due to his cough, so treating it may be very beneficial. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.