Are Intermittent Difficulty In Breathing And Yellow Sputum Through Forced Cough Serious Concerns?

I suffer intermittently (like once a week) from difficulty breathing and yellow/orange sputum when forcing a cough, onset when I wake up. The breathing is relieved by albuterol inhaler (not mine). Today I also have upper back pain. Could this be allergies from pet dander, asthma, pneumonia, or something else?