Why is my Maltese dog coughing, shaking, and lethargic after activity?

Question

My dog keeps coughing upon exertion. When she starts coughing, her whole body shakes, followed by something like a final retch. She's a maltese. We have brought her to several vets and went for a chest x-ray too. The x-ray showed a little narrowing of the tracheal. She's currently on day 4 of Theophylline and Binozyt (for a toe infection). Im very concerned because the coughing haven't reduced. She still has appetite but she is very lethargic. Please please advise. Thanks. Pet's info: Dog | Maltese | Female | spayed | 8 years and 10 months old | 11 lbs

Lauren Celestin, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hi there! While some smaller breed dogs can be prone to what we call tracheal collapse, it is usually results in a characteristic "goose honking" noise. Because Gypsy's cough is not improving on the the Theophylline and seems to be get worse with exertion I am concerned about heart disease. Her heart should be properly auscultated and also evaluated in the radiographs. I would recommend seeing a cardiologist at this point in time, as they are experts in the area of the heart. Best of luck to you and Gypsy.

Why is my Maltese dog coughing, shaking, and lethargic after activity?

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