When Your Dog’s Heart Needs Extra Care

Static Hair After
Playing in the Blankets

The Saturday before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Oliver started hacking and coughing out of the blue. Since that Saturday afternoon, he has continued to cough throughout the day. As reported in my January 18 post, he has had that awful sound happening. We took him to the vet twice the following week, had x-rays done, and he has been on medication since. He is currently taking three medications. He was diagnosed with a heart murmur and an enlarged heart.

Oliver will be 15 in June 2026. It is hard to believe, as I can still remember him as a little puppy and having to take him out in the middle of the night to do his bathroom duties. We have been fortunate that he has not had any major health issues. He did lose most of his teeth over the years, which is common in the Japanese Chin breed and in smaller dogs, but he has had no other major issues since we have had him.

It has been tough watching him struggle with breathing over the past few weeks. There is no cure for congestive heart disease, but the medication is supposed to help slow the progression. He sounds pitiful with his hacking, coughing, and the small whimpers he makes when he cannot breathe. If I put my head against his body, I can hear the heart murmur.

I am hopeful that we can get the coughing under control, and if we do, we may have more time with him. He continues to be interested in food, treats, and water, just as he has since this started. He keeps me up during the night, and in turn, he is up through the night as well. I know he is exhausted from the hacking and coughing. Some nights are better than others, where he, and we, are able to sleep most of the night.

The latest medication he was prescribed includes a syringe that we fill with liquid and give to him by mouth. He hates it. He snaps at us and actually got me pretty good on Saturday morning when I was giving him the medication. We give this one, along with another medication, every twelve hours. On Saturday night, I tried putting the liquid on a spoon, and he ate it with no problem. That will now be the new way we administer the liquid medication.

The average lifespan of a Japanese Chin is 12-14 years, so I know we are getting bonus time with a very special little guy. It is strange how this started so suddenly. My hope is that we are able to have him in our lives for another year. Other than the coughing and occasional shortness of breath, I do not believe he is in pain. When he is not having breathing issues, he wants to play, rub his head in the blankets, or run around in the backyard, even when it is freezing cold outside. We will rely on our vet to guide us and make sure he is not suffering.

We love him so much, and it pains us to watch him struggle to breathe. I am praying that the cough goes away and that we are able to keep him in our lives for a while longer.