Constant coghing of my 10-yr old Yorkshire Terrier

Question
Duke, my 10 year old Yorkshire Terrier has been "coughing" a lot lately. It seems like he's choking. I found his pillow all chewed up and the white filling inside is exposed. I believe some of this white fluff got stuck in his throat and he can't seem to get rid of it. How can I help him?

Answer
Hi Gilda,

Have you looked down your dog's throat to see if you can see some fibers from the pillow?
Is your dog able to eat and drink okay without gagging? Try giving him some extra fluids or some canned dog food to see if whatever is in his throat will pass through.

If the coughing continues to be a persistent problem, you have to think it may be something more than having pillow fibers in his throat. You should have him examined by your vet since a persistent cough can be indicative of fluid in the lungs or congestive heart failure in an older dog.

Best of luck,
Patti