Enlarged Heart, Heartworm or Collapsed Trachea? What does it sound like to you?

Question

PATIENT: 9 year old Pomeranian-newly adopted yesterday from a shelter. He was a stray. Don't know if he has ever been heartworm tested and shelter did not test for that.
SYMPTOMS: He does NOT "snort" on the inhale, but has a moist, harsh cough and gags on the exhale. He wakes up about every 1/2 hour coughing and gagging. Excitement does NOT make his symptoms worse. KENNEL COUGH HAS ALREADY HAS BEEN PROFESSIONALLY RULED OUT. BEFORE you all get excited and tell me to see a vet, I already have an appointment! What is his outcome on these 3 possibiliteis?

Yeah, I'm just as confused as all of you. Can't wait for the diagnosis and possibly get some meds for him so he can be more comfortable.

HUGHES: I also had a MinPin with an enlarged heart and also had to put her down when meds stopeed working. This sounds very reminiscent of the condition...I sure hope not!

UPDATE: It's not heartworm....test is negative. YAY!

UPDATE:
It is an enlarged heart as I suspected. The fluid in his lungs are making him cough and gag. Trachea looks good!

Answer 1

Not to diagnose anything, but our older lab had an enlarged heart and non-cancerous lumps that compressed her airway. She "coughed" daily and it sounded like a hacking noise. Like she got some water down her airway. She was on meds that improved the situation temporarily, but when they came back we decided to put her down. She was 14.

Answer 2

Hmm... hard to say. Collapsing trachea usually gets worse with exercise or heat, and usually has more of gaspy sound on inspiration. Could be heartworm, would show signs similar to heart failure so it would be hard to determine between the two with out tests. Given his age and breed, heart failure should be highly suspect, common in Poms. I'd say your best bet is x-rays and bloodwork when you go in. If there is heart enlargement, and the heartworm test is negative, I would recommend and echocardiogram to give you a better idea of bad the heart disease is. Often times its manageable with meds for awhile, but there is no cure. If it is collapsing trachea, again depending on severity, he will most likely need a surgical repair. Keep an eye on the color of his gums, they should be nice and pink, if they seem pale, white or blue, get to your vet or an er immediately, dont wait for the appointment. Good luck

Answer 3

Your canines could have a collapsing trachea, they are very difficult to substantiate on xrays. in spite of the indisputable fact that an enlarged coronary heart can push on the bronchii and reason the comparable cough, greater touching directly to is an enlarged coronary heart and obtainable coronary heart failure. the perfect ingredient to do is call your vet and talk together with her or a nurse on the sanatorium. while you're nonetheless unhappy, seek for a 2nd opinion. As a edge, particular cough drugs for canines will commonly alleviate coughing in canines with collapsing trachea. Ask your vet approximately this too. apart from...coronary heart ailment that's extreme incredibly much continually manifests as worked respiratory and a cough. bronchial asthma isn't that effortless in canines and happens for various motives than it does in human beings. bronchial asthma is mostly a wheezy ailment (think of squeeky toy sounds)

Answer 4

Honestly it could be any of the things you mentioned. My best advice is before you think the worst wait until your dog sees the vet and they give you a diagnosis and take it from there. Heartworm is treatable if caught at an early stage, Heart problems are treatable with the right medicine and a collapsed trachea can be managed as well. I wish your pet good health. God Bless.

Answer 5

I'm not a vet, but I have read that a cough can be a sign of advanced heart worm, a very heavy infestation of roundworms in which some of the worms travel to the lungs, distemper has a dry cough... coccidiosis, TB...

My guess would be heart worm because of the gagging and because I've never heard of a dog having this problem because of roundworms other than reading clinical stuff about it. A quick search of the internet will give you a plethora of possibilities.

Answer 6

I'm not a vet, but I have read that a cough can be a sign of advanced heart worm, a very heavy infestation of roundworms in which some of the worms travel to the lungs, distemper has a dry cough... coccidiosis, TB...

My guess would be heart worm because of the gagging and because I've never heard of a dog having this problem because of roundworms other than reading clinical stuff about it. A quick search of the internet will give you a plethora of possibilities.

Answer 7

It surprises me a shelter didn't test for things..also surprise and shelter would let a dog be adopted with these system's. I guess it is different where you are located. Surprises me that you would ask this question here when these people are not vets and can't answer this question truthfully. Your best bet would be to wait what the vet saids.. I know a lot about dogs but I sure couldn't answer this one. I am not a vet. Common sense does tell me if that was my dog it would have left the shelter and taken right to the vet.

Answer 8

It's possible he has something lodged in his throat....however, I wouldn't rule out kennel cough at all as the gag is a sure sign. So I would say it would be either of these and nothing more serious.

I hope he gets on okay.

Best wishes

Answer 9

Either way you need to take that poor little guy to a vet to get it checked out and fixed.

Answer 10

it's impossible to tell without a thorough examination, but I wish you the best of luck.