929. Productive cough 1 month - nocturnal cough?

Just phoned the owner who came yesterday Sunday at 10.30 am with a shih tzu, male, 5 years that coughed for past 1 month.

"Much better," she said. "Less white mucus coughed out."

HISTORY is quite interesting
Feb 2012 - Vet1 for eye ulcers, then Vet 2 as the eye ulcers did not heal. Vet 2 quickly referred her to Vet 3 as he does not deal with eye ulcers. Vet 3 tested eye with green fluorescein stain and gaave eye drops. Apparently ulcers healed. "My dog's tongue reacted, like curled up, wen I applied eye drops," she said.

Soon in March 2012, the dog started coughing white froth.
Went to Vet 3. X-rays taken. "Nothing wrong," Vet 3 and Vet 4 in the same practice was consulted soon. Drugs prescribed were pred, codeine, diphonxylatel, bromhexine.
"Less coughing," she said but then the coughing got worse. So she came to consult me.

I asked her to get the X-rays and history if possible. Whatever it is, the harsh coughing, sore and painful throat must be relieved. That is the challenge.
I took a blood test, heartworm checking was negative.

I gave the injections to relieve the coughing as white foam keep coming out of the dog's mouth. Heart sounds were not audible as harsh lung sounds and throat sounds overwhelmed and were noisy. I advised canned food, not dry food for the time being.

Today at 2 pm, I phoned this lady from Aljunied Road. She was quite happy as the dog was much better.

Any distress must be relieved. The owner can be as stressed out as the dog coughing all night long. The case is being investigated and I reminded her of the X-rays. and review 7 days later.

No second chances if the vet can't resolve the problem. So, was the coughing a reaction to the eye drops? Or something more sinister like heart problem? Need to investigate further. Coughing was said to be worst at night. Nocturnal cough?