Why is my senior dog panting, coughing, and bark changed? Vet needed?

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.

A consult would be a good idea in this case. If the vet was referring to laryngeal paralysis, a consult will help you figure out if treating medically vs surgically is the best option. If your dog is having difficulty breathing, blue gums or tongue or collapse is noted, get her to the emergency hospital immediately.

It is hard to say the exact cause of her breathing. I would be concerned about a possible upper respiratory infection, pneumonia, heart disease, heartworm disease or pain. I would recommend taking her to a veterinarian for a good listen to her chest and possible chest x-rays.

In a dog Bailey's age, yes there is a chance it could be heart failure . You will need to take her into the vet now. The vet can do a physical exam and x-rays to see how her heart is working, and if she is in heart failure, the vet can prescribe medication to manage her symptoms. Best of luck.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Lady! I love your pictures! There are many possible reasons for Lady's symptoms. The heart rate is fine, it is normal to have a low resting heart rate at home. The fact it isn't high is reassuring that she isn't in pain or distress. The panting can be from: canine cognitive dysfunction or dementia, Cushing's disease, feels over heated and a lot of older large breed dogs just overall pant more. Causes for the bloated belly are: overweight (fat in belly), enlarged liver from Cushing's, low thyroid, tumor in her belly. I think a Vet exam, blood work and belly X-rays are a good idea to see if there is a medical reason for the symptoms you are seeing. I hope this helps and I wish Lady the very best!

Hi there! I would recommend having this checked out by your vet when you're able to. A wheezing sound in the throat, hoarseness, and/or a raspy quality to her panting or breathing are all concerning for something interfering with normal air flow in the back of her throat. This could be due to laryngeal paralysis, a growth or tumor, a foreign body, or something simple like a respiratory infection causing some swelling or inflammation in this area. Your vet can do a complete oral exam under sedation if needed to get a better look at her throat, and may also recommend x-rays or other testing to help check for abnormalities.

I'm so sorry that Jenny isn't feeling well. You are correct, it sounds like she is showing signs of congestive heart failure. Unfortunately there are no over the counter medications you can give her for this. She really needs to see a vet. She needs diuretics, ace inhibitors and a drug to help her heart contract better (pimobendan). With these medications on board many dogs can live for quite some time and have a good quality of life. Without the medications I am afraid she won't well. I found this website that may help you in finding some low cost vet care in your area: https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/care/vetcare I hope this helps. Best wishes to you and Jenny.