Why is my senior dog panting heavily and coughing like a hairball?

Question

My dog is 12 years old and has been panting heavily and then she stops all of a sudden and then she starts to pant heavily again. She will cough every now and then like she has a hairball almost. Not sure if one has anything to do with the other. Mostly concerned about panting. Pet's info: Dog | Miniature Pinscher | Female | unspayed | 12 years and 3 months old | 29 lbs

Dr. Strydom, DVM · Accepted Answer

Yes, those things could be related. Most likely cause would be an underlying heart condition - with her breed and age I would guess a mitral valve insufficiency. I would recommend you take her to your vet for an exam. They may also recommend some bloodwork and x-rays which would also be a good idea. Remember, she is close to 70 years old in "people" years so of course things could be not working as well now versus when she was younger. That is why yearly or twice yearly vet exams are so important in older animals. Hope this answers your question. If not, feel free to post again! Best wishes!

Why is my senior dog panting heavily and coughing like a hairball?

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