# A hacking, weezing cough?? Opinions please



## Jen (Jun 2, 2007)

My 1/2 chihuahua and 1/2 min.fox terrier has had this wierd cough for the past little while. 
It is only when she is very excited. (like when we come home after she hasn't seen us all day) and it is not all the time. She doesn't seem to be in pain or is this cough a reg. thing.
Mike is very worried cause he said his yorkie back home (when he lived in england) had the same cough and it was because he had heart problems. I am not sure if it was a defect or what. 
Minnie won't be 2 til february and has always been in perfect health and in good shape. She has put on 2 pounds (but she did last winter too) and didn't have any problems. 
Any ideas????


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

Is it a cough, cough, gag? Does she ever cough up white foamy stuff?

If so, it's probably some form of Kennel Cough. Even if she's had the Bordetella vaccination, she could have another form.

Or....it could be heart issues. Or allergies.

I'd take her to the Vet and have them take a look and listen. You don't want her getting any type of pneumonia, which is possible with KC. Often, though.....it goes away on it's own.

Oh, if you press on her throat, will it make her cough? That's another symptom of KC.


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## Jen (Jun 2, 2007)

Ardeagold said:


> Is it a cough, cough, gag? Does she ever cough up white foamy stuff?
> 
> If so, it's probably some form of Kennel Cough. Even if she's had the Bordetella vaccination, she could have another form.
> 
> ...


She is already in her crate for the night so I will check tomorrow to see if she coughs when I press on her throat.
There is no white stuff coming up. Nothing comes up. I haven't seen her gag but I will ask Mike and Em as they have both watched this as well.


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## Luvinmygoldens (Jul 16, 2007)

My daughters new dog, a rescue, has kennel cough. She didn't cough alot but she would have coughing "fits". Loud, hacking fits. She also had a very runny nose. She's on antibiotics now so she's getting better.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

She could also have what is called a collapsing trachea. My rescue eskie had that and had a hacking cough. It was controlled with some meds and my vet said that some small dogs have it. But I do know that my Yorkie had heart problems and coughed also. So the best thing is for your vet to check it out to determine what it could be.


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

Ag and BeauShel seem to be on of this for ya. Hope fully tomorrow will be a cough free day.


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## Jen (Jun 2, 2007)

BeauShel said:


> She could also have what is called a collapsing trachea. My rescue eskie had that and had a hacking cough. It was controlled with some meds and my vet said that some small dogs have it. But I do know that my Yorkie had heart problems and coughed also. So the best thing is for your vet to check it out to determine what it could be.


Thanks, I am goin to show this to my husband and hopefully we can get her into the vet soon.
She doesn't have any fits of coughing just every once in a while. There is no runny nose or eye discharge. I hope she is going to be ok. She still plays like mad and acts like a puppy.


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## Jen (Jun 2, 2007)

TheHooch said:


> Ag and BeauShel seem to be on of this for ya. Hope fully tomorrow will be a cough free day.


Thanks but I when I came out of the bedroom this morning, she was starting. It wasn't as bad as it normally is but it was still there. I am worried.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

Here is a website showing some symtoms and what it may sound like. Hope it helps
Trachea Problems

And the main page that has alot about tracheas

Trachea Problems


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## Jen (Jun 2, 2007)

BeauShel said:


> Here is a website showing some symtoms and what it may sound like. Hope it helps
> Trachea Problems
> 
> And the main page that has alot about tracheas
> ...


thanks for the links. I have thoroughly read them and one thing really stuck out in my mind. That was that trachea problems usually coincide with a 'goose honk' cough. And that is exactly what Minnie has. 
When we go to the vet, I will specifically use those words, rather than making hacking sounds myself.lol


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Can you take some video/audio footage with your digital camera that you could show your vet druing the visit?


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## GoldenShamus (Feb 26, 2007)

Sounds like kennel cough to me.

My golden recently had a mild bout with it, much to my surprise. I noticed this very intermittent (mostly when he was running around or excited) that he would make this hecking noise and gesture, almost like he was trying to cough up a hairball. 

Dogs can get this, much to my surprise, even if they are vaccinated (which mine is of course). The good thing is that dogs who are vaccinated, only get mild cases of it. There isn't much your vet can do, except if it is a bad case of it they may prescribe an antibiotic in case of secondary infection.

Otherwise, my vet suggested Robitussin, the kind without any aspirin or pain meds added to it as those can be very dangerous. After a few days, Shamus no longer 'coughed' or for better term 'hacked'. We never ended up giving him any Robitussin, but he did have a very mild case of it.

We feel that he picked it up from my mom's foster lab and my vet said that they have seen a surge of cases in my area lately. So....


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

My only guess right now would be kennel cough. THough it soujds liek it is being broke on by the excitement of seeing you which woud be strange. Good luck I know the vet will have the answer.


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