My senior dog is coughing and hoarse. Why are her X-rays normal?

Question

Our 11 1/2 year old Lab has lost her voice. She was coughing/hacking but it is down to a cough every once in a while now. X Rays did not show anything and the vet gave her pills to help with arthritis and pain which seemed to help the hacking. They don't give us a reason for the loss of her voice and the coughing at times. What could this be?

Christie Long, DVM · Accepted Answer

Older large breed dogs can sometimes get a condition known as laryngeal paralysis. The voice doesn't completely go away, but it can definitely become quieter or more hoarse. She could also have infectious tracheobronchitis, known also as kennel cough, as this can make the voice more hoarse. If she does not stop coughing in the next 1 - 2 days, or gets worse, I would take her right back in. Sometimes x-rays can look normal even when serious problems, such as pneumonia, are brewing.

My senior dog is coughing and hoarse. Why are her X-rays normal?

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