Heartworm Questions

We get many heartworm questions at the Ask the Dog Expert. Share these visitors' stories.

My Chihuahua/Jack Russell Terrier mix just started having a problem yesterday. He developed a cough that sounds like something is stuck in his throat, and at the same time it reminds me of trying to clear his throat. He is eating everything, but I think he's sleeping too much.

He is not overweight, not running a fever, but he wants to stay glued to me all the time. I skipped one month on his heartworm pill. He couldn't have gotten sick from that, could he? I am worried. He is also allergic to just about everything.

Please help if you can.~~ Larry

Expert Reply

Hi Larry,

There's a possibility that your dog could have contracted heartworms after a month without preventative, but I honestly don't think you'd see such obvious symptoms this early. It takes time for the population to build up.

You mention that your dog is allergic to a lot of things. Does he have pollen, mold or grass allergies? We're heading into the fall allergy season, so these things will be floating in the air, and this could trigger a reaction in your dog.

There's also a chance that your dog may have picked up a case of Kennel Cough. If this happens to be the case, it's easy enough to treat if you catch it early, which it sounds like you have.

All in all, you should consider making an appointment with your vet to take a look at your dog. The vet will listen to your dog's chest, take a blood sample to check for heartworms and provide you with more heartworm preventative as soon as heartworms have been ruled out.

Thank you for your question, and I hope your dog is feeling better soon.

~~ Kelly

Hello,

My ten-year-old Terrier/Spaniel is hyperventilating and she keeps coughing. She also has trouble walking up the staircase and I want to know what is wrong with her.

~~ Ashleigh

Expert Reply

Hello Ashleigh,

It will take an examination by your vet to truly figure out what is going on with your dog's health, but I do have a few thoughts.

I think what you're describing as hyperventilating is more likely gasping for breath. Add that to the coughing, and it seems that she may have some sort of infection or fluid building up in her lungs. This could be due to a variety of causes, but her advanced age could also play a role. If her heart is not pumping as efficiently as it used to, this could allow fluid to buildup in her lungs.

Let me ask a couple of questions.

• Do you keep your dog on heartworm preventative? Heartworms can infest and weaken the heart muscle.
• Has your dog been vaccinated against kennel cough?
• Does her trouble walking up the stairs seem related to the breathing problem, or does she seem to be growing weak in the rear?

I honestly think this worth letting your vet take a look at her. Lung problems seldom get better without medical intervention, and we can't even be sure that is all that's going on. Go ahead and make the appointment.

I hope your dog is feeling like her old self soon. Thanks for your question.

~~ Kelly

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