Question:
I have 13-year-old male mixed-breed dog. There seems to be something wrong with his larynx. He is coughing constantly, as if he is choking. I took him to the vet, who prescribed Prednisone, but it hasn't made any difference. He is now on Doxepin HCI (25 mg capsule). He has been on this for five days, but nothing has changed. The vet told me that there is a risky operation, but it's likely the dog would probably be worse from it. Please help me with this. I love this dog, and I'm scared he will choke to death.
F.W., High Point, NC Sep 06, 2009
Answer:
Your veterinarian took the proper initial steps of treating the symptoms before doing a bronchoscopy, X-rays and other tests in the hope that the condition would clear up at minimal cost to you. Now more tests are needed to check for cancer, lung parasites and chronic periodontal disease that can lead to bronchitis and other respiratory conditions prevalent in older dogs. Congestive heart failure is often associated with coughing episodes, and your veterinarian surely ruled this out. You or your veterinarian should check out the Web site www.aromadog.com for some inhalant botanicals that might help ease your dog's hacking cough. Making an infusion of peppermint, sage and green-tea bags (or other herbal-tea combinations) used for coughs and chest conditions in humans could give your dog some relief. He may drink it seasoned with low- or no-salt beef bouillon; or carefully spoon half a cup of strong tea down his throat two to three times a day. If there's no apparent benefit after two to three days, then discontinue. Many veterinarians are now prescribing herbal teas for various animal health problems as an integrative-treatment approach that avoids or reduces the reliance on costly and less-safe pharmaceutical products. Since most beneficial herbs have been human tested for millennia, they are generally safe for animals. For more insights, visit the Web site of the Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association, www.vbma.org.
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