Senior sheltie has long term cough -- conflicting diagnoses

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user437706

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Hi, I just joined Sheltie Nation and am hoping someone may have some insight or advice for us regarding our beloved senior sheltie, Molly. She is the light of our lives and will turn 14 on April 8. One of her many health issues over the past several years has been a persistent hacking cough.

The coughing started approximately 4 years ago and we have had it checked out several times by her regular vet office and by specialists but they have never been able to determine the cause. Like other posters have written, it sounds like a cat hacking up a hairball then at the end of the episode, it sounds like she's gagging or retching but nothing ever comes up. We've been told that it could be anything from allergies to reverse sneezing but after doing some research on my own, I was coming to the conclusion that it is a symptom of congestive heart failure.

Molly has had this cough for so long that we just learned to live with it but over the past week or so, it seemed to be more worsening so I took her back to our regular vet's office on Wednesday. They took chest x-rays and drew blood and urine samples and told me after the exam that her heart appeared to be enlarged and that she also seems to have a collapsing trachea. They recommended that she go back to the specialist for a cardiac work-up so I took her on Thursday for an ultrasound. The specialist told me that there was no sign of heart disease, it was not enlarged and he suspected chronic bronchitis or kennel cough. They prescribed Clavamox and two types of cough suppressants and told me to follow up with the regular vet in two weeks.

While I was relieved that it was not her heart as I suspected and feared, I'm not sure if I can accept that a cough that has lasted for several years could be caused by a respiratory infection. The specialist also said that her blood work is showing that she has elevated liver enzymes and the beginning of kidney disease.

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar with their dog? We are worried and frustrated and are unsure what to do or who to believe at this point. We've spent thousands of dollars on tests and medications and doctor visits over the last several years and poor Molly still has the same cough.

We would greatly appreciate any input or information. Thank you!!
 
indy has hacking cough too.

Brought him to the vet and heart and lungs checked out fine

He is overweight though, and that won't help

Indy does get very stressed though by other stimulaie, and this normally causes his hacking and coughing.
 
My in-laws had a poodle that had a collapsing trachea. She had a terrible cough like you describe. I do not think there was anything they were able to do for it. I hope you get some answers.
 
Welcome to the forum. I don't have any answers or advice for you, but just wanted to say hi and how much my heart goes out to you. You must be so frustrated not being able to get answers for your sweet Molly.:hugs
 
I am EXTREMELY familiar with this. I have 2 senior shelties that have this exact same cough. They even sound identical so that I have to see the dog to know which one is coughing.

Max carries the cough as a leftover from heartworms. He had them when we adopted him and has had the cough ever since. Doc said he may never lose it and since we've had him 2 1/2 yrs now, I'm guessing he'll always have it.

The other one (Casey turned 14 in Jan) has a collapsing trachea.

But the cough is absolutely identical.

At any rate, we have MAGIC JUICE.....also known as Torbutrol liquid which is a prescription. When the cough gets bad, we give them 1 ml in an oral syringe. They both will stand very nicely and let me give it to them.

It is expensive. I get 3 oz at a time and the vet gives me a 20% discount because I buy in "volume". It costs me right at $100.

HOWEVER, it knocks that cough from both of them generally for the rest of the day. It is unusual for me to have to give it to them 2 x a day but I do occasionally.

And I've been giving it to them every day here lately. Some times of the year, they only get it every other day or a couple times a week. This time of the year, they get it every day. Seems their coughs are worse now. Don't know why.

Torbutrol has been an absolute lifesaver for us. When we got Casey 4 years ago, he coughed his face off all day long, every day. It was AWFUL! When we moved and got another vet, he wanted to try this. It is a Godsend.
 
Ally has had exactly this kind of cough for a few years, but hers is seasonal. We are assuming allergies since all else checked out OK. Tried anti-histamines but that didn't work. She coughs from about October thru January. Then we got Brooke, and she does the same thing! It really sounds like she's trying to cough up a hairball, complete with the gagging. We are guessing it's the same thing, since her physical was normal.

It sounds horrible, I know. If it isn't her heart, (and not heartworms) I'd be inclined to chalk it up to allergies. You can try antihistimines (we tried Atarax) and see if it helps. Our area is known for allergies in people and dogs.
 
When they did X-rays, did they X-ray both lungs and heart?

Have they ruled out any tumours in his chest?
 
Lucky started coughing. We went for his regular check and the vet said it was his heart. So we started on lasix. The timing was perfect, reg check up and coughing spells.

The med has really helped him, he may cough but not often at all. My biggest concern is his age. I want him to be around for quite a long time.
 
At fourteen years, with a condition that's persisted for the past four, I wouldn't worry too much about it, particularly since the vets appear to have ruled out anything sinister. Love her and make her comfortable and enjoy whatever time she has remaining.
 
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