Dog coughing up blood

[boxcarhorse]

My Whippet has been coughing all day, a dry cough as if he's got something stuck in his throat. Then this afternoon he started coughing up watery blood.

I've taken him to the emergency vets. She exrayed, and took a blood sample but it showed nothing conclusive. His temperate was slightly up, the Xrays showed some sort of fluid on his lungs - but not clear what.

She thinks it may be that he's eaten rat poison or that he has lungworm (although no previous symptoms) so has sent me home with Vitamin K tables and a special wormer and anti-biotics.

I've not come away filled with confidence. Has anyone experienced anything similar?

 

[Dizzydancer]

Sorry not experienced the blood before, but parents dog was a query for lung worm turned out was pneumonia actually but they couldn't tel on x rays. She had a cough which was dry but also increased respiratory rate which was key sign.
has he had any access to rat poison?
Hope your dog improves.

 

[Chestnuttymare]

That sounds scary. hope she is ok x

 

[Umbongo]

I would be straight back to the vets I'm afraid.

We have had 2 cases of lungworm in the past month. Both were coughing before they came in, coughing up blood. A raised temperature, bloods were unremarkeable and x-rays showed some fluid on the lungs. One dog was sent to ICU and survived, the other dog got to us too late. Lungworm can progress VERY quickly.

I am surprised by your vet...if they suspected poison or lungworm then the dog should be admitted immediately for monitoring. How old is the dog? Do they have any access to rat poison or do they have a history of eaten slugs/snails, fox poo etc?

If either poison or lungworm then I would want him at the vets for monitoring.

Hope he is ok xx