Sunflower

New member
Dec 17, 2015
1
0
Country
US
Bulldog(s) Names
Rubysue
Hi bully lovers. I have a very special bully Rubysue. Reason she is so special is because she 11.5 years young. Hard to believe I know. She loves visiting the vets office it is social hour for her. Several things though she gets so excited that her gums and ears turn red and her heart rate goes up. They have had to bring her water and put a fan on her. She has been coughing and gagging for almost a month or so. I have not taken to the vet because of the reasons I listed and the vet is afraid she may have a heart attack. Is there anything I can give her like benadryl or anything to help her. She does not act like she doesn't feel bad. I have 3 other dogs and they are not coughing.
Matter of fact she still plays and is getting grumpy for her age. She has gotten where she stays on our screened back porch unless it is hot I make her come in. We have had her since she was 5lbs and now she is my full figured girl. She doesn't have many back teeth if any...she will not allow us to look so I switched her diet to pedigree puppy cause it is smaller. I am afraid the cough and gagging is fluid around or in her lungs. She does not cough up anything. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
 

Momma2Bullies

New member
Aug 2, 2012
356
26
Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
Layla and Wilbur
I'm so sorry to hear about her troubles! I don't have any experience with this, hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in, but it sounds like she needs to be checked. Is there any way your vet could make a home visit (to keep Rubysue's physical exertion to a minimum)?
 

Donnam

New member
Nov 5, 2014
1,433
60
Dallas, Texas (Richardson)
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Winnie
My first boxer, many years ago, had cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart that leads to congestive heart failure. Her first symptom was coughing. She was very young when diagnosed.

Any chance your vet would do a house call? My dogs are the same way when they go to the vet--it's party time!

Congratulations to you that Rubysue has reached such a nice old age. You must have taken very good care of her! One of my bullies lived to be 11. [MENTION=15209]Sunflower[/MENTION]
 

dolphin

Pooper scooper
Nov 5, 2012
10,936
962
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
7
11.5, that's fantastic. I have to agree with Donna that if your could maybe make a house call. I think at that age it's super important to get to the bottom of the issue. Bulldogs have a hard enough time breathing without coughing and gagging. I hope there's some way she can get in to see a vet. Welcome to EBN.
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,580
3,671
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
Agree... Ask you vet for a house visit. Also, the puppy food may be too rich and cause her to gain weight which would not help her breathing--- can you add water or soft her adult kibble
 

Manydogs

Well-known member
Community Veteran
May 2, 2013
13,637
2,025
Tennessee
Country
U.S.A.
Bulldog(s) Names
Maudee,MarthaKatie,Lizzie,Bro.Mini
[MENTION=15209]Sunflower[/MENTION] Above suggestions are great! If you could get your vet to come out.
You could try squirting some lemon juice(like in that plastic lemon) in her mouth,if it is flegm that causing her cough/gagging,it will help break it up. I had a toy poodle who had congestive heart failure,and she took lasix,and when she would have more coughing and fluidy sounds in her chest, I would give her a shot of dexamethasone w/ah,and she would be okay for about a month or more. She was 11 at the time, and she lived for 3 more years, and my vet was actually surprised! I hope it is not congestive hf, but it certainly is a possibility at her age. I would even think maybe your vet could come out to the car,and check her out,if he won't come to the house. It's worth asking....
 

Manydogs

Well-known member
Community Veteran
May 2, 2013
13,637
2,025
Tennessee
Country
U.S.A.
Bulldog(s) Names
Maudee,MarthaKatie,Lizzie,Bro.Mini
Agree... Ask you vet for a house visit. Also, the puppy food may be too rich and cause her to gain weight which would not help her breathing--- can you add water or soft her adult kibble

I think softening her food is a better way to go. If she can't really chew, the smaller pieces could get caught in her throat, or may go down the wrong way. When my dogs got old, and didn't have too many teeth,I would soak their food, until soft. We start out with mush, and we end up with mush..:grammy:if we live long enough.
 

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