Why is my old dog coughing and breathing heavy when excited or sleeping?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Female | spayed | 5.8 lbs
For the past 3 weeks my chihuahua/dachshund has had a cough and heavy breathing. Especially when she is excited or sleeping. What could this be? She is 10 years old.
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on January 13th, 2020
It is concerning that Coco is breathing heavily when she is sleeping - I'd be concerned that the cough could be due to heart disease or a respiratory disease. I'd recommend having your vet examine Coco. They might recommend chest x-rays as the first step.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on March 2nd, 2019
It’s recommended to have Coco examined by your veterinarian to rule out a heart murmur/congestive heart failure as the cause of the coughing. Another common cause of coughing, especially in small breed dogs, is tracheal collapse, which often occurs more severely when the pet is stressed or over-exerted physically. If if there is a fever, harsh lung sounds +/- nasal discharge, Coco may have an upper respiratory infection similar to kennel cough for which oral antibiotics and prescription hydrocodone (an anti-tussive cough medication) would be recommended. Good luck!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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