A 13-Year-Old Doberman With Wobbler Syndrome Who Started Wheezing and Coughing at Night

Wobbler syndrome affects the spinal cord in the neck, so it isn't usually a direct cause of coughing or wheezing. But a new deep cough at night, with gagging and wheezing, in a 13-year-old Doberman should be checked by a vet within the next day or so, because several problems common in older large dogs can look like this.

Your vet will want to rule out heart disease first, because Dobermans are prone to dilated cardiomyopathy, a weakening of the heart muscle. If the heart starts to fail, fluid can build up in the lungs, causing faster breathing, especially during sleep, and sometimes coughing. Laryngeal paralysis, a weakness of the voice box seen in older large dogs, causes noisy breathing, gagging and coughing, and it often comes with weakness in the back legs that can be mistaken for, or add to, a spinal problem. The same nerve problem can weaken the food pipe, so food or fluid can come back up and slip into the airways, causing pneumonia. Other causes include bronchitis and growths in the chest. Listening to the chest and a chest X-ray are usually the first steps, often with heart tests such as an ECG or a heart scan. The two days of diarrhea may be a separate problem, but mention it too, especially if he takes any anti-inflammatory medicine for his neck, since these can upset the gut. Call sooner if the stool turns black or bloody, or he vomits or stops eating.

Until he's seen, walk him on a harness rather than a collar, keep him cool and calm, and count his breaths while he's asleep. A sleeping rate that stays above 30 a minute is a reason to call your vet that day. Go to an emergency vet if he is struggling to breathe, his gums look pale, blue or gray, or he faints or collapses.

See why dogs wheeze, dog coughing and how to count your dog's breathing rate.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.