Vet Blog
03/18/09
 Why does my Yorkie sometimes make this goose like
sound, like he can’t catch his breath or has something
stuck up his nose?
Charmaine
Mendocino, CA
Dogs generally make goose-like noises when they cough. Since foreign objects lodged in the nose usually cause sneezing, it isn’t likely that your Yorkie has something stuck up his nose.
In young dogs, kennel cough (also known as infectious tracheobronchitis) is a common cause of goose-like honking. Kennel cough is a contagious disease that almost never is life-threatening. Most cases are self-limiting (which means that they resolve on their own without treatment).
In older small dogs such as Yorkshire Terriers, a syndrome called collapsing trachea frequently leads to a honking cough. Collapsing trachea occurs when the firm rings supporting the wind pipe begin to weaken. It leads to a chronic tickle in the throat.
Heart disease is another common cause of coughing in older small dogs. Yorkies sometimes develop leaky heart valves as they age. This causes fluid to build up in the lungs which leads to coughing.
Several less common causes of coughing also are possible. These include, among others, pneumonia, bronchitis and heartworm. Visit my website for more information, or, better yet, go to the vet for a proper diagnosis.
Photo: Minnie at the beach. No sign of coughing.
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11/24/08
 Can dogs catch a cold from a human?
We are looking after a 9-month-old Chihuahua who
ended up in a dog pound for 24 hours before her mom
rescued her back. She has started coughing and
sneezing for the last three days. The cough sounds like
something between a pig grunting and a goose honking.
Afraid it might be kennel cough or she caught a
cold from me.
Marley
Puyallup, WA
Although there are a few diseases (such as rabies, ringworm and intestinal worms) that can spread between pets and people, most of them don’t cause respiratory symptoms such as coughing or sneezing.
And, in particular, pets do not appear to be susceptible to human rhinoviruses (the germs that cause colds).
Most contagious diseases are species-specific. This means that, for the most part, dog germs spread only among dogs, cat germs spread only among cats, and human germs spread only among humans. It is very unlikely that the dog you’re looking after caught a cold from you.
However, a nine-month-old dog who recently got lost and spent a day in the pound is in the prime risk demographic for a number of canine respiratory diseases including kennel cough. The stress of being lost and ending up in the shelter no doubt weakened her immune system. Close confinement with large numbers of other dogs in the pound likely exposed her to a variety of canine pathogens. Dogs less than two years of age are especially susceptible to the sorts of germs that are common in shelters. And the symptoms you describe are very consistent with kennel cough.
In my opinion, the Chihuahua you’re looking after picked up her cough in the shelter. You are not to blame.
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10/27/08
 Is it bad for my cat if my husband smokes in the house?
Heidi
Vacaville, CA
Although I may contribute to marital discord in your household, I will answer honestly. Secondhand smoke is bad for cats. It’s bad for dogs, too.
Cats and dogs have exquisitely sensitive respiratory systems. Their lungs, bronchi (tubes that carry air into the lungs), windpipes, and sinuses all may suffer adverse effects from secondhand smoke.
Secondhand smoke can contribute to, cause, or exacerbate bronchitis, sinus infections, tracheobronchitis (also known as kennel cough), pneumonia, heart failure and lung cancer in pets. Secondhand smoke is especially notorious for exacerbating feline asthma.
I recommend that smokers with pets go outside to enjoy their cigarettes.
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09/11/08
 My 17-year-old Pomeranian has coughed for 2 days.
It sounds like something in the throat.
Is it kennel cough or allergies? My other 2-1/2-month
old Pomeranian is also coughing. What can I do to
help them feel better?
Mei
S.F., CA
A large number of syndromes can lead to coughing in older dogs. Most of them are not contagious.
If your younger dog were not also coughing, I would be worried about such problems as heart disease, pneumonia, collapsing trachea, cancer and bronchitis.
However, when two dogs in the same house simultaneously develop coughs a contagious syndrome such as canine influenza or infectious tracheobronchitis (a group of diseases known collectively as kennel cough) becomes a likely possibility.
Foreign objects lodged in the throat can cause coughing; however, this is extremely rare. And it is virtually inconceivable that two dogs in the same house would cough for this reason. Allergies cause coughing in dogs only rarely.
In your case, I feel that a veterinary checkup is in order for both dogs. 17-year-old dogs are elderly and fragile; two- or three-month-old puppies are no less fragile. There is a good chance that the cause of the coughing is not serious. However, it is best to be cautious with dogs like yours.
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08/04/08
 Two new viruses are emerging as threats to canine health worldwide: canine respiratory coronavirus and canine parvovirus type 2c. The May 15, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association contained a news item about these two diseases.
Canine parvovirus is one of the most common and deadly infectious diseases of dogs. It causes vomiting, diarrhea, and blood cell imbalances. A vaccine against the virus has existed for years and is in widespread use. The vaccine was designed to prevent the older, more common strains of parvovirus. Fortunately, the vaccine appears to offer some protection against the new type 2c strain of the disease as well.
Coronaviruses cause the common cold in people. A common form of canine coronavirus has been known for a long time as well. This virus causes diarrhea in dogs.
Now, a new type of coronavirus has evolved in dogs. It causes acute respiratory symptoms (kennel cough) in affected animals.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has published a list of frequently asked questions (along with answers) about these two new viral strains. Click here to see the FAQs about canine parvovirus type 2c. For information about canine respiratory coronavirus, click here.
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07/08/08
 On may 31st 2008 both of my dogs were updated on
their shots, including Bordetella. Now weeks
after, they both have a cough and some sneezing.
Could it be the shot or
something else? Maybe just a cold, and if so..
what can I give them?
Sandra
Lake Elsinore, CA
The Bordetella vaccine is designed to protect against a disease called kennel cough. Kennel cough is a contagious, non-lethal disease of dogs. In my experience, young dogs (less than two years old) are most often affected. The disease causes a tickle in the throat that leads to coughing. The coughing may persist for as long as three weeks.
Veterinarians have not reached a consensus of opinion regarding the efficacy of the Bordetella vaccine. Some vets think it needs to be given at least twice annually to be effective. Others think that one time per year is adequate. And another group of vets thinks that the vaccine is completely worthless. They recommend that it never be administered.
There is, however, one feature of the vaccine that is not disputed. The Bordetella vaccine definitely does not confer absolute immunity against kennel cough. In this regard, it is like the human influenza vaccine. Dogs that receive the Bordetella vaccine can still contract kennel cough.
There is a chance that your dogs have, despite vaccination, caught kennel cough. As well, there is a chance that they have contracted one of the many thousands of other respiratory ailments that can affect dogs of all ages and breeds. The best way to diagnose and treat your dogs is to have a veterinarian evaluate them.
In very rare instances, I have seen dogs develop mild coughing and sneezing as a result of vaccination against Bordetella. This syndrome, called reversion to virulence, occurs only with certain types of vaccines. It is extremely rare, and symptoms usually develop within a week of vaccination. Based on your description, it is unlikely (but not impossible) that reversion to virulence has occurred in your dogs.
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Why does my Yorkie sometimes make this goose like
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