Why is my dog coughing after heartworm treatment? Is it serious?

Question

After going through the first round of heartworm treatment a week later my dog did get a bit excited and now his slightly coughing and sounds like he is blowing his nose, he was also shivering a bit but I don’t know if it is because something is wrong or maybe just because it is cold outside. What will happen? Could he die? Or is it normal because of the medicine? What should I do to help him feel better? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | neutered | 9 years and 7 months old | 11 lbs

Kevin Sanada, DVM · Accepted Answer

Treatment for heartworm is difficult, because the worms are dying and dissolving slowly in the heart. The first place the dead worms and/or pieces of worms go is to the lungs. Depending on the size of the piece that goes to the lungs, they can have varying degrees of lung problems. A cough could indicate a problem, but as long as he's breathing OK, this would not be an emergency. In this case I'd recommend you contact Charlie's vet sometime in the next 24 hours. They can give medication for the cough and help determine how serious this is. If Charlie is having trouble breathing, then this is an emergency, because it can indicate a severe thromboembolism in the lung. I hope that helps and Charlie gets better soon.

Why is my dog coughing after heartworm treatment? Is it serious?

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