My dog has collapsing trachea and coughs at night. What helps?

Question

My 8yo pomeranian has been diagnosed with collapsing trachea, she has never had a persistent cough may have hacked once when excited, once in a blue moon. But got kennel cough and has now been diagnosed with CT, vet has put her on Antibiotics but nothing to help her cough. The vet wasn't overly helpful said its rather severe and will be tricky to manage. She inst coughing hardly at all during the day maybe once or twice but coughs mostly at night? Any ideas on managing this? Not steroids if poss. Pet's info: Dog | Pomeranian | Female | spayed | 8 years old | 11.2 lbs

Elva Ma DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, and thank you for your question. If Lacy is only coughing once or twice at night, you can ask your vet about trying a cough suppressant for the night time only. However, if she is coughing frequently at night, I'd also want to rule out heart disease as an underlying cause. Coughing due to heart disease often happens during rest, as fluid accumulates in their lungs when they are lying on their sides. Chest x-rays would be necessary to rule this out. For dogs with collapsing trachea that cough regularly at all hours, you can ask your vet about using a bronchodilator, and/or inhaled steroids, which get the medicine directly into her lungs where she needs it, with minimal absorption into the rest of her body, in turn minimizing side effects of steroids. Check out the Aerodawg, which is an inhaler designed just for dogs. However, as stated earlier, if her coughing is minimal, just a cough suppressant at night may be enough. In addition, switching to a harness instead of a collar can be very helpful, as it minimizes pressure on the trachea when the dog is pulling on the leash. I hope this helps, and that Lacy is doing well!

My dog has collapsing trachea and coughs at night. What helps?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

My degu has trouble breathing, coughing, and nose discharge. Help?

My ferret has bloody urine and bladder stones. Is it an emergency?

Why is my pet's swollen lump with green patches not getting better?

My bird has PFBD. Is chest trembling a normal sign or a symptom?

Dog licking paws, fur loss, and jaw wound: Could it be allergies?

Share