Discussion. Hemoptysis (expectoration or coughing up of blood) has been reported as a consequence of severe heartworm infection in dogs,2-6 although it remains a relatively uncommon finding. Even fewer reports exist of dogs coughing up or vomiting up adult heartworms.
Light, Dry Cough
When heartworms infiltrate the lungs and start reproducing in the lungs and in the surrounding vessels, your dog may start to cough. This is usually a dry, unproductive cough that can be more obvious after exercise. Sometimes dogs may have “coughing fits,” that may even cause fainting.
“Goose Honk” Cough
The first and most obvious symptom of heartworm in dogs is the persistent cough, which is often likened to the sound of a goose hoking. This goose honk cough occurs whether the dog has been active or not, but it is more common after a dog has just exerted himself in some way.
Signs of heartworm disease may include a mild persistent cough, reluctance to exercise, fatigue after moderate activity, decreased appetite, and weight loss. As heartworm disease progresses, pets may develop heart failure and the appearance of a swollen belly due to excess fluid in the abdomen.
If your dog is vomiting, it may be a symptom of worms. Each type of worm is known to cause vomiting. Dogs with whipworms may vomit a yellow-green substance while dogs with roundworms, hookworms or tapeworms may vomit visible worms. In most cases, you'll be able to see the worms in your dog's vomit.
Early signs could be shortness of breath, loss of stamina, or a nagging, dry cough. As the disease progresses, breathing becomes more difficult, and in severe cases the abdomen may swell with fluid. Your dog could become lethargic and lose weight and their appetite.
When a dog has roundworms, the owner might see one or more of the worms in the dog's vomit or stools. Needless to say, it can be quite alarming (and disgusting) to see these large, pale-colored, spaghetti-like worms—sometimes still moving.
How Long Can a Dog Live Without Heartworm Treatment? A dog can live at least six to seven months from the date of infection.
Six months after they bite your dog and inject those larval microfilariae heartworms into your dogs, it takes that six months for them to develop into that adult worm. So generally, it's anywhere from six to 12 months after they've been bitten; you may start noticing signs in your pet.
Puppies under 7 months of age can be started on heartworm prevention without a heartworm test (it takes at least 6 months for a dog to test positive after it has been infected), but should be tested 6 months after your initial visit, tested again 6 months later and yearly after that to ensure they are heartworm-free.
Kennel Cough is the most likely cause of your dog's cough. It's usually a dry, hacking cough that sounds almost like your dog has something stuck in their throat. Kennel Cough is highly contagious, dogs are most likely to get it when they're around other dogs.
Persistent Cough
The most obvious sign of heartworms in dogs is the noticeable and persisting cough that goes along with this disease. It is a dry cough, but it comes frequently and is usually brought on by activity.
Once heartworms make their way into the lungs and begin reproducing in the lungs and surrounding veins, your dog will begin exhibiting a dry cough, typically after exercising.
Sometimes dogs may inhale foreign objects or material that gets lodged in their airways. Coughs that become suddenly violent or sound like gagging, possibly including attempts to swallow and frequent lip licking could be a sign that something has become stuck in your dog's throat.
Worsening Cough with Activity
If your dog's cough is getting worse when she's active or when she tries to eat, then it may be a symptom of kennel cough. Once again, however, this is also a symptom associated with heartworm disease, and it's important for your vet to rule out heartworms before diagnosing kennel cough.
They can be controlled naturally with citrus oils, cedar oils, and diatomaceous earth. Dogs needing conventional treatment may benefit from herbs such as milk thistle and homeopathics such as berberis; these minimize toxicity from the medications and dying heartworms.
You should know that although heartworm can be fatal, it is very treatable if caught early. And even more importantly, your veterinarian can prescribe preventatives that are highly effective in stopping your dog from getting heartworm in the first place.
Stage 4 – Heartworms have caused severe damage to the animals heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. In this stage, Caval syndrome is likely. Caval syndrome is when there is such a large amount of worms blocking blood flow to the heart that it creates a sudden life-threatening problem in need of quick surgical intervention.
Spring time is notoriously known as “heartworm season” for many pet owners as well as “flea and tick season”. There is truth to this! Springtime is when all of the creepy crawlies begin to come out of their hibernation and start infecting our pets (and sometimes us!) to start their lifecycles.
A diagnosis of heartworms is not a death sentence, even in a somewhat older dog.
Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) in dogs is considered endemic in Australia, but the clinical heartworm disease caused by the heartworm is rare and prevalence is low.
No one wants to hear that their dog has heartworm, but the good news is that most infected dogs can be successfully treated. The goal is to first stabilize your dog if he is showing signs of disease, then kill all adult and immature worms while keeping the side effects of treatment to a minimum.
Many dogs do not have signs of infection; however, dogs with major roundworm infections, especially puppies, show diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, dull hair, and a potbellied appearance. The dog may cough if the roundworms move into the lungs. You may notice the adult roundworms in your dog's feces or vomit.
Since most worms seen in dog vomit are roundworms, the color is usually white, light brown, or pale yellow. If you see something black or red, it likely is NOT an intestinal parasite. More than likely, what you see in the vomit is something your dog ate, like a stick or toy.
Coughing, diarrhea, vomiting and lethargy are the general signs the dog has worms. Other symptoms depend on the type of worm. For example, if your dog has a tapeworm, clear identifiers can be rapid weight loss or what appears to be grains of rice in their stool.