# Hacking cough with some mucus/regurgitation



## Barry (Jul 27, 2011)

Ok,to start It's getting cold here in NC,and my dog barry has been welcomed onto our closed in back porch with a heater (in a place he can't reach and it wont fall) and a nice blanket.he gets free run (can get on and off as he pleases) but since the weather started i noticed some pretty bad coughing/hacking from him.

he was fine at first,but today the cough ended in some mucus regurgitation.( not enough for vomit,but there was some bits of food?) my father looked at his gums and they were somewhat pale? the blood readily flows back when you press light on them tho.

anyway, here are his symptoms

-coughing (or,light chuffing.)
-hacking
-light regurgitation 
-somewhat pale gums- but with good bloodflow

his attitude is fine,he took his normal nap and is playing/acting fine.

as soon as i saw all this,i gave him some dewormer.he was due for them next week but this scared me into giving them a little early.

should i be really concerned? could it be simple cold with the recent chilly weather?

or,like my dad said, could it be heartworms??

please help! I'm really worried for my baby.


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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

Have you taken his temperature? 
anytime there is coughing especially when they are coughing stuff up Id get a vet check at least , there are a few things that can cause that symptom , some being kennel cough has he had her bordetella shot? { even if he has had the shot its not 100% proof they can still get it}. Is there any discharge from his nose? the pale gums in therecan be symptoms of heart worms, has he been getting heartworm treatments ? If he were my dog I would go get him a vet check get them to test for heartworm .


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## Barry (Jul 27, 2011)

no nasal discharge or weepy eyes or anything else that would raise a flag..which is why im kinda stumped.
he has had his seven way shots..if those are what you are referring too.

he's not caughed at all today,or even done his 'chuffing' noise. right now he's napping under the window... keeping an eye on him tho

idk if i have enough money for the vet,but my boyfriend offered to help pay for any bills/meds.


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## Firehazard (Dec 4, 2009)

Hooch done this in his later years, he had a tumor on his esophagial area and from time to time he would hack and cough flem and a piece of food or two if he just ate. These dogs are built to endure orginally so you may not know til its to late your dog has pancriatic cancer or bone cancer or whatever.. Cancer is prevalent in dogs because of the commericialized food and medicines we give them. THen again.. . It could just be a small fleshy tumor along the esophogial area causing these symptoms..

I only say this cause I dont see your dog, can't smell him (you can smell sickness, I can smell parvo on a dogs breath before its ever been diagnosed, have stumped many vets with my ability to smell disease) and you say hes still full of vigor..

Hooch was a full blown bulldog you wasnt tellin him otherwise, in 11 years he wasnt toppled by any critter at any time Bulls, cattle, wild hogs, coyotes, feral dogs, bobcats, nukkleheads in the hood, 5/0, mt. lion, other dogs (accidental kennel fights he invoked).. But he had the sypmtoms you mention on your old dog, and eventually the cancer masticized in his bone and constant licking of his foot was just himhawed at by vets until that moment; they looked at me with shock and surprise because Hooch had never give them reason to check his blood, or liver for cancer. He was always superior to every critter around... "Hooch" RIP~


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

How old is your pup? Heartworm could be a concern if your dog is over a year old and has never been on heartworm meds. I think this is a younger pup though right? My guess would be some upper respiratory infection or kennel cough. No a 7 way does not protect against kennel cough it is a separate vaccine that is given called bordetella. Like AB said even if your dog is vaccinated for bordetella they can still catch it. Basically it is an airborne virus passed from dog to dog and I have had my whole kennel come down with it. There is no real treatment but time, vets will put you on antibiotics but that is only so a secondary infection does not happen with the coughing. You can treat this at home go to the health food store and get Osha root tincture in a dropper bottle. Get some canned dog food and put a dropper full and mix it with a spoon full of canned food and feed this 3-4 times a day. Osha root is a natural cough suppressant and much better than anything over the counter you can get.

The only thing that worries me is pale gums.... When you push on the gums with your finger do they come back to pink right away or do they stay white and pale?


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## Firehazard (Dec 4, 2009)

performanceknls said:


> How old is your pup? Heartworm could be a concern if your dog is over a year old and has never been on heartworm meds. I think this is a younger pup though right? My guess would be some upper respiratory infection or kennel cough. No a 7 way does not protect against kennel cough it is a separate vaccine that is given called bordetella. Like AB said even if your dog is vaccinated for bordetella they can still catch it. Basically it is an airborne virus passed from dog to dog and I have had my whole kennel come down with it. There is no real treatment but time, vets will put you on antibiotics but that is only so a secondary infection does not happen with the coughing. You can treat this at home go to the health food store and get Osha root tincture in a dropper bottle. Get some canned dog food and put a dropper full and mix it with a spoon full of canned food and feed this 3-4 times a day. Osha root is a natural cough suppressant and much better than anything over the counter you can get.
> 
> The only thing that worries me is pale gums.... When you push on the gums with your finger do they come back to pink right away or do they stay white and pale?


:goodpost: I've been spoiled cause we don't have heartworms up here in the North Idaho panhandle.. WHere Im at I dont have ticks or fleas either.. Its nice.


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