My heartworm dog has a dry cough and wheeze. Should I worry?

Hi I do not know the age of your dog because this plays a factor is the causes for coughing. Coughing can be as simple as Kennel cough, if he has been around other dogs or to a vet, groomer or dog park recently. It can also be caused a collapsing trachea, which is common in small dogs, and can vary on how serious it gets. Or it could be heart disease or cancer. I see from your location that heart worm is quite possible as well. I would take him to the vet for a heart worm test which is a quick blood test. He would be coughing if he had adult worms in him. Only your vet can determine the cause of the coughing and I would take him as soon as possible to go over treatment options for him. Good luck!

If he is heartworm positive then the coughing is likely associated with it. Heartworms live in the pulmonary artery which is what takes the blood from the heart to the lungs to get oxygen. They can cause significant decrease in the amount of blood flow as well as they are really inflammatory. Their presence makes the lungs really angry and that causes cough. In later stages the heart can be so damaged that they can go into heart failure, which can also cause cough. I would highly encourage you to schedule a follow up appointment with your veterinarian to discuss this disease and how to treat it. I would also recommend an x-ray of the chest to see how much damage has already occurred. In the meantime I would encourage you to keep him on leash and not running around where he might cause more damage. Best of luck to you and Max! I hope he recovers well! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hi and thank you for using Boop by Petco. Unfortunately, there is no classic cough for a heartworm dog. A cough can be caused by a primary pulmonary disorder like inflammation of the lungs (bronchitis) or infection in the lungs (pneumonia, kennel cough, the flu) or a parasite (heartworms). A cough can also be caused by a primary heart disorder like congestive heart failure. If your pet has not been on heartworm prevention, it is possible it can be heartworms but if your pet has been to day cares, dog parks or around other dogs, it is possible it can be an infection. I recommend visiting your veterinarian to perform a full physical exam and determine if xrays are warranted or a heartworm test. And ultimately, if any treatments are needed. Good luck!

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.

Ideally, she should be rechecked by you veterinarian. The cough may be lingering effects from the heartworm infection or it could be something else (infection or inflammation). There is nothing over the counter you can safely give her. Always check with you rvet first before medicating a pet.

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! Nose warmth/cold or dryness/wetness isn’t a sign of anything. Coughing and sneezing can be for numerous reasons. Without a physical exam and detailed history it is hard to say. If it was just a few times I wouldn’t be concerned. We sometimes cough and sneeze without a reason. If it’s frequent, I would recommend taking her to a vet to discuss. Heartworm is a possibility if she is not on monthly preventions. She could also have an upper respiratory infection, allergies, a bad tooth- the list is long. I would start with a vet exam and got from there. They can test her for heart worms while she’s there. Good luck and kisses Kenzie!

Any change in breathing warrants a trip to the vet for a recheck. While it’s possible that there’s nothing wrong, you could also be noticing the beginning of a complication of heartworm treatment. Pulmonary thromboembolism can occur when dying worms become lodged in the small blood vessels of the lungs. Your vet might want to take a chest x-ray.

These signs are compatible with the heartworm infection which can cause dyspnoea and respiratory signs. I would strongly advice to contact your local veterinarian as these signs might be compatible with respiratory/cardiovascular complications during heartworm treatment.

Hello, there are multiple causes for a cough like the one you are describing. One potential cause may include heartworm disease, however, this can be checked with a snap test. If it returns positive for heartworm, then there are medications you can try at home to treat this disease. Other causes may include heart disease and lung disease. Some primary lung diseases such as bronchitis and pneumonia can cause this. To fully explore this causes for your dog's cough, he may need x-rays, a cardiology consultation, and a heart worm test. The other cause in smaller dogs include a collapsing trachea. Ideally your coughing dog should not live an fast or active lifestyle to prevent exacerbation of her cough and from her going into respiratory distress. Please see your veterinarian soon if your dog continues to cough. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Poor Bonnie! Coughing up blood is not expected with heartworm disease and indicates significant inflammation. It could also indicate a worsening of the condition. I recommend to take her in to see the veterinarian. It's better to be safe. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.