Coughing Yorkie AGAIN!
 

Hi guys, I adopted my Yorkie from a rescue back in April. Mikko was a 9 week old puppy that was rescued from a puppy mill situation. He checked out healthy and was adopted out.

4 weeks after I got him he started coughing. I brought him to a vet and they weren't too concerned at the time of it being kennel cough or anything worse from just listening to it. They sent me home with cough suppressants.

Some more time goes by and it seems to be getting worse (this is about 4 weeks of coughing at this point) so I bring him into another vet who does X-rays and finds absolutely nothing. Mikko is not lethargic or acting weird at all, eats normal and is happy. This vet is a little puzzled and says lungs and organs look great along with trachea. He gives me an antibiotic to try and nearing the end of this antibiotic, Mikkos coughing is still just as persistent and starting to wake me up at night. His biggest coughing fits seem to be around 3am after he's been sleeping awhile.

I do some research and find a thread on here of a lady back in 2007 with IDENTICAL issues. Clear X-ray, antibiotics don't work... 5 week cough etc. her vet finally tried azithromycin and tada! It does the trick (after 5 failed antibiotics). I call my vet and tell him what I read and he's happy to prescribe the new drug. It's not cheap, $100 at Walgreens for my little baby but IM SO HAPPY to see quick results. After 2 days I can tell it's helping. After a 10 day dose, he hasn't been coughing for many days!

Great right?!

Well it's been a month since he ended his medication. And last night and this morning he is starting to do really soft persistent coughing..... NOOOO. This poor little guy!!! I'm not sure what to do on this one, has anyone else had similar issues? I'm upset because I just can't afford to be running constant tests and I want my little boy to be feeling better.

Side note: we went for our first walk about 4 nights ago. He did great, went about 3/4 mile if even and when we got back he started shaking uncontrollably. He's 5 months old right now. I syringed water into his mouth, I wrapped him ins blanket and fed him sugary stuff. Finally peanut butter kinda did the trick to stop the shaking but it lasted an hour. It wasn't too hot out or humid, it was 9pm at night... Now I fear taking him on walks. Could this have triggered the cough to come back?

Thanks for the help Yorkie lovers!

Sorry that no one has come to your aid on this. I wouldn't think that the walk triggered anything unless there was an environmental allergy. It could be that after a day of puppy life, the walk took him into low blood sugar territory. Might want to start with smaller walks as well just in case that was too much for the little guy right now.

I hope you find an answer to it. I have had a yorkie for a little over a year and he does a hack noise everyday. But it is not a full blown cough. Just kinda like a fast clearing of the throat and he is done but he has done it everyday for over a year and no vets can tell me why. It does not affect him. He still eats and runs like a mad man. Does your puppy do a full blown honking cough

Have you tried any allergy meds? Claritin, Benadryl, hydroxyzine.

dog
 

Make sure nothing is pulling on his neck. My spud coughed when on his harness and leash. I used to hook the harness to the given ring. Now I hook it in the side of his harness. It doesn't pull back on his neck and HD hasn't coughed. Hope this helps

Coughing
 

Hi Guys,

I have only tried him on Benadryl and it didn't seem to do much. I might need to try a different one. I was wondering about allergies as well. He seems to cough when laying or resting - but is completely fine when he is running and playing. Seem so odd! Mindy - his cough is kind of that hacking noise as well. Does your pup only do it once a day? Mikko does it multiple times a day...

He is on a harness and there really wasn't any pulling on his walk, he stayed by my feet so that should not be a concern... well still kind of a mystery! I just started him on azithromycin again.. just don't want my poor dog living on meds like that :(

My dog sounds like the dog in the video He does it a few times a day. But it is that fast and quick like a hack. But he does it when he is playing or is excited to see me or some times when just walking across a room. Did you have your puppies heart checked since it happens when he is laying down.


https://youtu.be/lN1L1pXdfZM