[delvon]

Hi,
My Daisey (8months) who was in such poor shape when I got her at six months old, has come on in leaps and bounds but one thing that worries me is that when she sleeps she sounds so chesty. I am giving her vitamins & cod liver oil in her main meal. Little prebiotic yogurts but what can I give her help her chestiness

[Lara's mom]

Could you define what you mean by "chesty?"

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by delvon

Hi,
My Daisey (8months) who was in such poor shape when I got her at six months old, has come on in leaps and bounds but one thing that worries me is that when she sleeps she sounds so chesty. I am giving her vitamins & cod liver oil in her main meal. Little prebiotic yogurts but what can I give her help her chestiness

Am checking out THE NET. This is the 1st info I came across--maybe something here that will be of interest:

Breathing and Coughing Complications
An inflammed trachea may be why your dog has difficulty breathing.
Jon Geller, DVM



Q. I have a 14-year-old female Basset Hound. She is spayed. She sees our vet regularly. Over the Christmas holidays we had a lot of family over, which resulted in her woofing for a very long timeto the point that she got hoarse. When she went back to the vet for her swim therapy (she has weak hind legs from a previous disc surgery and she uses her wheels for balance), I asked the vet to check her outshe sounded like a cross between Janis Joplin and Stevie Nix.

I have tried to keep her quiet, relaxed and resting so she would heal up, but it seems to be getting worse. Every time I mention it not getting better, I get brushed off. In the last week, her wheezing has gotten worse. Particularly when she tries to eat. She loves to eat, so appetite is not a problem, but the wheezing appears to hamper her ability to breath and eat, so she makes this wheezing sound while eating. She looks like she's holding her breath to eat, and sometimes after eating she'll make this coughing sound, much like an old man clearing his throat. Right now she's asleep at my feet making a gurgling noise.




A. It really is tough when your dog gets older and things just start to go wrong. However, even as veterinarians, we sometimes will explain away clinical signs and symptoms such as "old age." We always have to remind ourselves that old age is not a disease.

I'm very impressed that you're such a committed dog owner, and would bring your dog in regularly for swim therapy. I'm equally impressed your dog has a voice as raspy as Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks. All kidding aside, if your elderly Basset Hound is not improving, I would politely persist in asking your veterinarian for work-up and treatment.

Sometimes a prescription of low-dose steroids can help an inflamed trachea (airway and larynx) heal up. Based on the history of extended periods of barking, the diagnosis is most likely tracheitis (inflamed trachea), just as your veterinarian suspects. However, if your dog is already on a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug for arthritis, steroid treatment is not an option due to the high risk of stomach or intestinal ulcers.

If there is no improvement, the next step would be X-rays of your Basset's neck in case there is a mass or tumor pushing on the trachea.

Theres a delicate balance between allowing time for inflammation to heal on its own, and pursuing definitive work-up and treatment. You should feel free to follow up with your veterinarian if your dog is not improving as expected.

Best,
Jon Geller, DVM

Will be back with more if I find something!

[B][COLOR="Green"]Here is another link:

My yorkie woke up sounding like a goose. She has... - JustAnswer

In the above link----You need to scroll till you see the word Question--in blue on the left of page--then look a bit down to your right where it says Read More (reddish color with a box with + sign and click on it.

Dog Cold Symptom Diagnosis
Puppies and older dogs should see a veterinarian for dog cold symptom diagnosis and treatment if they have symptoms of a respiratory illness. Adult dogs that are in good general health can be treated at home as long as symptoms are not too severe.
Your vet will do a complete physical examination of your dog and may do some blood work as well. He or she may also take a chest x-ray if your dog’s breathing is very congested to look for pneumonia. Pneumonia: If untreated, colds and other viruses and respiratory infections may develop into pneumonia. Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs, characterized by coughing and difficulty breathing.


Dog Cold Symptom Treatment
Your veterinarian may prescribe an antibiotic in case your dog is suffering from a bacterial infection. If it is a viral infection, the antibiotic won’t help, but even if it is a virus, secondary bacterial infections often set in once the immune system is depressed.
You can provide supportive measures to your pet at home. Keep your dog warm and dry. Especially limit time spent outdoors in cold weather, because the cold will cause the bronchial passages to constrict, making it hard for him to breathe. You can also run a vaporizer near your dog’s sleeping area to keep his bronchial tubes moistened.

We do not recommend giving your dog over the counter cough and cold medicines since they can easily be overdosed. You could give your dog some luke warm chicken soup which will be enjoyable for your pet and help keep them hydrated. You could also give your dog some relief by turning your bathroom into a steam room by running the shower very hot and then having your dog breath in the steam for 5 to 10 minutes. This will help loosen any congestion.

If you dog stops eating or if any coughing prevents sleep (for yourself or your dog), then visit a veterinarian.

[midnight_focus]

Hello and welcome to the forum

[millsandbones]

Have her checked by vet. It think something is wrong with her respiratory.

[lil mutt]

I haven't seen/noticed this chesty dog condition yet but hope it's not serious for your dog. Hope you immediately consult a vet to see what's with him, and please share to us and keep us updated.

[Lara's mom]

How is your little one doing now? Are things any better?