My Great Dane is losing weight and hacking. Is it serious?

Cough can be caused by an infection, heart problem or lung condition, it is important to first know the cause before treating it as treatment is different from condition to another. As weight loss is involved it is likely to be a chronic condition, i strongly recommend taking Hannah to the vet ASAP in order to get it treated.

Hi. Poor Rylee. The first thing I would say is that you need to take her to the ER this evening. Respiratory distress can be very serious. In Raley's case, it sounds like her kennel cough could be turning into pneumonia. She will need a good exam, and radiographs. That is most likely the issue and a common occurrence in severe kennel cough cases. Unfortunately another possibility we have to keep in the back of our mind, although rare, would be distemper virus. Distemper is a virus that affects a dog’s respiratory, gastrointestinal, respiratory and central nervous systems, as well as the conjunctival membranes of the eye. The signs of canine distemper can include sneezing, coughing and thick mucus coming from the eyes and nose. Fever, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea, and loss of appetite are also symptoms of the virus. Let's start with an exam a x-rays of the chest a review of her vaccine status. Good luck

Poor Dagul! I am sorry that he doesn't feel well. Looking at the blood work his white blood count and kidney values are all elevated. The kidney values could be elevated simply due to dehydration but I cannot say for sure since I cannot see him myself. The white blood count being so high makes me concerned about a severe upper respiratory infection or even pneumonia. These blood results look like they were done in February so they really aren't very accurate now. I would strongly recommend have him seen again by your vet if possible and recheck the blood work. Your vet will be able to do a thorough exam and let you know whether or not he has a good chance of making it. Your vet may even recommend x-rays to ensure there is no tumors in the lungs causing issues as well. I am really concerned about him. I would also make sure he is continuing to eat and drink to help keep his hydration levels up. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better soon!

I would recommend taking Avery to an emergency veterinarian as soon as possible. It sounds like you could be describing an unproductive retch which is a sign of gastric dilation and volvulus (GDV) also known as bloat. GDV is very common in Great Danes and can quickly become fatal if not addressed right away. Of course it's also possible that she is simply gagging or coughing but in my opinion it is much better to be safe and have a veterinarian rule out GDV. They may recommend an x-ray to look at Avery's stomach position.

Oh my. Poor guy. The weight loss and his body condition score is very concerning. Gradual weight loss in older pets is highly suspicous of cancer unfortunately. Other possible causes are intestinal parasites, diabetes mellitus, etc. There is also possible arthritis which is causing Blue to become debilitated and unable to move around well; however, generalized weakness could also be a cause. You can try to feed Blue a high calorie diet (ie puppy food) to help with his muscle tone and try over the counter joint supplements (ie Dasuquin) to help with his mobility. Here is a website link with more financial resources to help you get him seen by a vet for further care because he really needs medical attention and testing to determine if this is something serious or not, and to pursue medical treatment. http://m.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html Best of luck to you and your pet Blue. I really hope he will be ok. Take care.

I would be worried about Kane as well. In a senior dog, this rapid weight loss could be due to liver disease, kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, or cancer to name some causes. If she is having trouble moving, that suggests she is in pain. I'd take her into a vet right away to get checked out. Best of luck.

Due to his giant size and age, he is at risk of geriatric problems. With drinking more water and a decreased appetite, he needs to be checked by your vet to have blood work and possibly x rays done. They can start with checking for kidney disease or diabetes or an infection, then make sure there are no hidden masses or abnormalities in the bones or chest with the x rays.