My new shelter Yorkie is hacking. Is it kennel cough or her cleft?

Question

I just got a Yorkie from the shelter three days ago. She keeps hacking up nothing. She has a cleft, but i'm not sure if that has anything to do with the hacking. What should i do? Pet's info: Dog | Yorkshire Terrier | Female | spayed | 25 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Bailey! If she just came from the shelter, the most likely cause of the coughing is a contagious respiratory infection such as kennel cough - this is generally treated with antibiotics from your veterinarian. In Bailey's case, I would definitely recommend having her seen by a vet as soon as you can, because if she has a cleft palate, she is at risk for serious respiratory issues such as aspiration pneumonia - this can also cause coughing, so she needs a thorough exam and possibly chest x-rays to help determine the cause of her illness. Either way, it sounds like she will likely need medication such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, or cough suppressants to help treat the problem.

My new shelter Yorkie is hacking. Is it kennel cough or her cleft?

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