Coughing after heartworm treatment?

[LotusWolf]

Last week we took my dog Dally to the shelter vet to get her last heartworm shot. We adopted her back in July and had to put down a refundable $50 deposit on her to make sure we brought her back in for treatments as she had heartworms at the time. We agreed to it and took her a month ago for her first shot and we brought her home that day, kept her calm for a week, etc..

Anyway, they kept her for 3 days this time to observe her for any dangerous reactions and cleared her to come home with us last Friday. She's not officially ours as they can't legally fully adopt a dog without having their treatments for preexisting conditions, but they do a foster to adopt contract.

I'm posting this because she's been coughing and what seems like trying to clear her throat by gagging. Otherwise she's okay and is her happy nuisance self, lol. I know some coughing is to be expected after the heartworm medication, but just how long should I consider it normal before thinking about calling the vet back?

[Rattitude_Rescue]

I haven't had any dogs with HW, but I seem to recall reading something back in the day that this isn't a good thing and can be the sign of a secondary infection from dead worms. You'll wanna check with the vet and see about abs like prednizone or something or other.

Either way, call the vet asap.

[applecavy]

Agreed on calling the vet, if nothing else, just to make sure.
Our Cocker Spaniel started coughing when he developed a tumor on his heart, so even though this isn't really the same, I know that coughing in dogs can sometimes signal heart issues.

[LotusWolf]

Just got off the phone with the vet. She wants me to bring Dally in tomorrow just to check and make sure it's nothing serious. At most it seems she'll have to be put on antibiotics. She told me that it would be safe to giver her about 1cc of Robitussin every four hours or so to relieve her cough until she can see her tomorrow.

Hoping it's nothing serious and that we can find out what's going on. I'll keep this updated and let you guys know what the vet ends up saying.

[CamieDoll]

she came from a shelter environment? Shelters are known for spreading kennel cough, its easy to treat and any dog can catch it. Your vet will know what to do, but I thought Kennel cough right when I saw the post. I just had my lil dog get kennel cough and I have no idea how she even got it!! Sounds like what she went through though, hacking cough, doing it often enough that it could drive a totally sane person nuts, sometimes if they already did a reverse sneeze before getting sick, this can make it worse until the KC is treated. Hope she gets better right away!!

[LotusWolf]

She was just at the vet getting tested for other things as well as getting her heartworm treatment last week. I read up on it and asked the vet a few questions and it's more than likely dead worms in her lungs and she'll need to be put on antibiotics, as coughing and dry heaving are signs of that very issue. She just had her last two shots Wednesday-Friday of last week and those two are rougher on the dog than the first one that she had a month ago. Thanks for your suggestion though.

Also, as stated before, we adopted her back in July and other than having heartworms, her health has been just fine. The coughing has only started a couple days ago, hence the reason it's more than likely the worms causing a mild bronchial irritation.
For tonight she's on the prescribed Tussin and it's already helping it ease up just a bit.

[CamieDoll]

I hope your doggy gets better ASAP! Good Luck!

[LotusWolf]

UPDATE:

Took Dally in today and she has been prescribed a fluid pill and an antibiotic, twice a day for 10 days to make her feel better. It is bronchial irritation from decaying and dying worms. If she doesn't get any better in 5 days we have to take her back. She's still on Tussin DM a couple times a day.

[Kati33]

Here is a link from the American Heartworm Society geared towards owners- Link. There is info on there about the coughing.

Did your vet use doxycycline prior to/in conjunction with treatment? There have been studies showing that it is an important part of adulticide treatment. There is a blurb on the vet section of the above website here, under "adjunct therapies".

On another note- be very very thankful your dog is getting treated. There are manufacturing issues with the one and only adulticide treatment and it is VERY hard to come by right now (as in there is none being made and what is on vet's shelves is all there is... and with the limited selling they had for awhile now, there isn't much out there at all!)

[LotusWolf]

Yea, I think she did use the other treatments, and that is another reason they kept her for 3 days to keep a good eye on her. I'm glad other than her bit of a cough she's her happy hyper self, which is getting her in trouble because it's hard to keep her calm like she needs to be.

[Kati33]

The doxy is a pill you would have been giving her beyond those three days.

Glad she is doing well though!

[LotusWolf]

Either way, thanks for the good wishes! Lol. No, she wasn't prescribed anything until yesterday and I haven't heard her coughing half as much since she's been on the Tussin and she's not having any negative effects of her two new meds. She takes them pretty as you please in a small ball of peanut butter.