A simple Cough or something else

Dear vets and community members I took my dog to the vet a few days ago because he had a caugh and was making wizzing noices with his nose. He took a blood test and it came back normal so he also took an xray of his lungs. He said he had no infections but that he still needed to be nebulized and gave him a kind of cough medicine (veterinary use) because he said only his right lung had a mucus build up but I believe he also mentioned the presence of water there. I am just asking for a second opinion because he does seem to be improving but he is getting some fast breathing occasionally at night and honestly I don’t really understand how to read xrays so I’m not sure if I should be worried about the mention of water. I attached the xray. He is not doing it any more but just for reference. Thanks for tour help and all you do

Hello! - and thankyou for this interesting case.   It is not your job to read x-rays;  radiography interpretation requires practise, so as you suggest it is what your vet does on your behalf.   Im afraid that we don't offer it here, for a simple reason:  your vet knows your dog's medical history, has examined them, and has seen the radiograph at the proper level of detail.  I have much less information available to me so my level of response would not be comparable to your vets'.   A meaningful second opinion is usually given by someone with more information available to them (eg a high level of radiography as well as all the clinical information your vet has gleaned) rather than less information.    MTF

However, you have raised some interesting questions which I think it's important that you do ask your vet.  I trust that you had some kind of revisit booked for reexamination, which may be an ideal time.

These questions might include:  1)  Is my dog making appropriate progress given the timescale, or would you expect to see more improvement by now?   2) Do you think there is mucus or water on the lung and do you think that is clearing up?   3)  What do you think is causing the fast breathing at night and should we be looking into.it further?   These are definitely big enough questions to merit another consultation.  If you would like a second opinion after this, your vet will usually arrange one for younand it will usually be someone who has access to the full case, who can offer more expertise than your vet on the matter.  Hopefully, they will be able to help you with this.  Best of luck.

These questions might include:  1)  Is my dog making appropriate progress given the timescale, or would you expect to see more improvement by now?   2) Do you think there is mucus or water on the lung and do you think that is clearing up?   3)  What do you think is causing the fast breathing at night and should we be looking into.it further?   These are definitely big enough questions to merit another consultation.  If you would like a second opinion after this, your vet will usually arrange one for younand it will usually be someone who has access to the full case, who can offer more expertise than your vet on the matter.  Hopefully, they will be able to help you with this.  Best of luck.

As ever, we would be interested to hear how your dog gets on.

Thanks so much for your insight. I agree, and we do have a follow-up with the vet on Friday, but if I see he is not improving, I will take him in sooner. He is just as playful and active as he has always been. The fact of the mucus and possible water in the lungs or chest or just anywhere where it shouldn't be does worry me. I will ask the vet those questions you proposed and hope for the best. We were travelling for the last month and a half, and he didn't get sick while we were away. And now we are back, and he got sick once we came back home. Could that also affect him? The fact of climate change and altitude as well, we are on a higher altitude above sea level now than we were before, the weather here is definitely cooler and with more humidity.

Hi - I agree;  a sudden change in lifestyle, humidity and temperature can often bring pre-existing diseases to the fore.  However, if you are worried at any point about the speed of breathing, this can often be a severe sign so it is definitely worth checking with your vet regarding a faster appointment.

Thanks for your reply. Actually his breathing speed is back to normal, he isn’t coughing much any more however now he is struggling with breathing from his nose issues. He does sound a bit congested from the nose and the medicine he is taking is mostly for coughing. I am trying to get him sooner to the vet to see if there is any other medication he needs or any other exam to be done. In the mean time I have been putting him in the bathroom while having the hot water running to ease his breathing. It has helped but I can’t have it on all day to help him and the weather temperature isn’t helping much. It’s been raining and extremely windy so it gets really cold here.