My rescued dog is sneezing & congested. Can I give her old steroids?

Poor Dolly! You can try to hold her in a small bathroom while your run a hot shower and let her breathe in the steam. Obviously, don’t put her in the water. And picking her up allows her to get more steaks since steam rises. You can also try some Benadryl. See the link below for more information. If she isn’t improving or if she is lethargic or not eating then I would have your vet look at her. Your vet will be able to listen to her heart and lungs and help determine the cause. She may need some antibiotics to help her feel better. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/

Yes, there are a few home remedies you can try to see if that helps with Rosco's congestion. I would bring him into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections. You can also put him in a small room with a humidifier to see if that helps with his congestion. Do not give him any human medications for his congestion, many are toxic to dogs. If he's still suffering with the congestion on Friday, take him into the vet.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tater-Tot. While she could be experiencing seasonal allergies, an upper respiratory tract infection is more likely given the congestion and nasal discharge. I suspect she will need antibiotic therapy to start. I am glad that you have already determined that it is not related to her heart disease as that is always the concern. If her symptoms do not improve with antibiotics or her condition worsens, then x-rays of her chest will be needed. I do not think that Benadryl will significantly improve her symptoms. hope this information helps!

Poor Shorty! He may be congested. Try bringing him into the bathroom with you when you take a shower or putting him in a room with a humidifier. The steam from these may help with his congestion. Make sure he is eating, gently warming canned food if his appetite has gone down. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would check in with your veterinarian at this time as coughing and wheezing are not expected to be due to the weather and there are certainly other diuretics and medications that can be added for heart disease which may help. I am concerned that her heart failure has worsened and should be evaluated by a veterinarian soon. Also, check in with your veterinarian about the use of prednisone as that can make heart failure worse. Mucinex would not help as that is used for a different purpose such as releasing mucus which is not what is causing the cough in a heart failure patient. Good luck and have a great day!

Poor Peanut! He may have an upper respiratory infection going on, or some other nasal/respiratory irritation, and due to his age and since steroids can affect the immune system, it would be best to bring him to your vet for an exam. They may need to put him on a course of antibiotics or other treatments to help him feel a bit better. Continuing to remove any debris that builds up and trying to entice him to eat as much as possible by warming up his food or adding in a little low-sodium chicken broth if he can handle it may help until you can get to your vet, but care ASAP is best.

Poor girl. The only thing you can do in the meantime is to try and unclog her airway. You can do so by using a humidifier or placing her in the bathroom with the hot shower running for 5-10 minutes once or twice a day. You can also use a pediatric syringe to help remove any mucous plugs. However, it sounds like her infection is quite severe, so I would look into taking her to another vet who can get her in sooner. Young puppies do have a tendency to develop pneumonia quickly after a prolonged upper respiratory infection that is left untreated, so its best to get her seen right away. I hope that Kylie feels better soon. Best wishes and take care.