what did the vet say about that cough when it first showed up?  what diagnostics were done?

well, it could be heart disease. this would require an echocardiogram at the very least, to determine whether the heart is enlarged. it’s not like they’re trying to nickle and dime you – they’re trying to determine the cause.

Treating Minor Wounds at Home

Very small scrapes or cuts to your cat are often not worth worrying too much about. Minor abrasions will usually heal on their own without human intervention. If your cat does suffer a small injury, keep an eye on the wound site and watch for signs of healing. If swelling, redness, or oozing occurs, it’s time to seek professional help.

Wounds without puncture sites or that bleed just a little can be treated with a bit of feline first aid.
Step 1: Secure Your Pet

Even the friendliest cat can scratch or bite if they are in pain or frightened. Wrap your cat in a towel to keep them still while you’re applying first aid. It helps to do this part with two people, though with care, one can manage alone if need be. Wrapping your cat in a towel is a technique many veterinarians use. If the towel will interfere with access to the wound, another option is to hold the cat by the scruff of their neck. Again, an extra pair of hands can make this much easier.
Step 2: Examine the Wound

Make sure it is not deeper or more serious than you might have assumed. If the wound is minor, you can move on to cleaning it yourself.
Step 3: Clean the Wound

Fill a syringe with a mixture of water and antiseptic solution. Rinse the wound site several times with this mixture. Antibacterial soap can work, as can the antiseptic soap you’d buy in any regular pharmacy’s first aid section.

Minor wounds often heal best when able to breathe, so you probably want to skip a bandage. What’s more, some veterinarians note that pet parents sometimes wrap bandages too tightly, causing circulation problems. If you think your pet needs a bandage, it’s best to let your vet do it.
Step 4: Keep a Close Eye

Keep your cat inside and watch the wound for signs of healing. If the site begins to look red or inflamed, or if pus develops in or around the wound, contact your vet immediately.

If the wound is on your cat’s paw of foot, swap out the kitty litter for newspaper, to avoid litter particles from irritating the wound or causing an infection.
More Serious Wounds

Any wound that involves punctures or more than minor blood loss should be treated by a vet as soon as possible. Puncture wounds, especially those caused by a bite from another animal, can easily become infected, as can deep cuts. These wounds can seal over, trapping dirt and bacteria inside. You’ll also want to make sure your pet’s rabies vaccine is up to date if the wound is a bite from another animal.

Injuries of this type that are left untreated can result in the formation of abscesses, or pus-filled pockets at the wound site. These abscesses can be very painful to your cat and can also result in lethargy and fever.

Watch for these signs as well as limping or tenderness of the wound as indications that an emergency vet trip is required.

Should your cat suffer a serious injury and you can’t get to the vet right away, you may have to apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding. You can also clean around the edges of these larger cuts, but let your vet flush the wound.

Last, check around your cat’s body for any additional injuries it may have gotten, that you might have missed while tending to the biggie. And of course, be sure your cat’s vaccinations are up to date, especially if wounds were inflicted by another animal.
I hope this helped. a tip if in doubt take your pet to the vet.

i would get him to the vet.  hacking coughs are NOT good, and can indicate things like pneumonia and heart problems.

Try taking her for walks or if she likes to go for car rides do that. To answer your question yes dogs just like humans can get depressed.What Are the Symptoms of Dog Depression?

Dog depression symptoms are very similar to those in people, said John Ciribassi, DVM, past president of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. “Dogs will become withdrawn. They become inactive. Their eating and sleeping habits often change. They don’t participate in the things they once enjoyed.”

But vets warn those symptoms also can mean a dog has a medical problem, so the first course of action should always be a full checkup by a veterinarian. A pet that mopes around and no longer wants to go for walks could simply have pain from arthritis, Beaver says.
If nothing else works, medications can help dogs get past their depression. Karen Sueda, DVM, a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, said medications for depressed dogs are the same as those used by depressed humans — Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft. She also uses Clomicalm, an FDA approved drug for the treatment of separation anxiety in dogs.
Hope this helps

Thank you! She does love her walks so we have been increasing them the last couple of days. I’ve also been spending time sitting in her crate (it’s huge and has a removable top) petting her and encouraging her while she nurses. It seems to have made a little difference but she still just looks so sad.

Thank you for the advice. I did plan on taking him back to that vet but they are an emergency specialized hospital only and do not take appointments. I was going to wait a a couple days to see if the medicine (sucralfate and metronidazole) helped him before going to emergency. He did get into the bathroom garbage and throw up some gross things (i wont go into gross details) prior to getting the melena.

Hi….is this a dog you are posting about? If it is, or a cat or any animal with these symptoms needs to see a Vet quickly.

honestly, i’d talk to a behaviorist about this.  they can assess your dog’s behavior firsthand and suggest things accordingly.

no!!!!!!!!! Do not give your dog any over the counter drugs.speak with a vet and they should be able to recommend some thing for what ails your friend

unfortunately you’re going to need a vet, and fast.  consider Care Credit?  it works like a credit card and is interest-free for a year.

the brand mentioned has been fatal for a number of pets in the US. i would be more inclined to say the dog has been poisoned rather than experiencing bloat.