What happens if your dog is coughing?
If your dog is coughing, you need to call your veterinarian. Many of the causes of dog cough are treatable, but all require medical attention. The sooner you get your dog in to see your veterinarian, the sooner your dog can be on his way to feeling better.
Should I be concerned if my dog is coughing?
You should be able to tell your vet a few things about your dog’s cough, including if it sounds dry or wet, when it began and how often it is occurring, if there is any accompanying discharge being hacked up (blood or mucus), and if it happens more when he eats or during the night.
What could be the cause of a dog coughing?
Some of the most common causes of coughing in dogs are heart disease, chronic bronchitis, heartworm disease, and respiratory infections caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Beyond the usual suspects lurks other, less common culprits that may be behind your canine companion’s hacking.
What happens if your dog has a cough?
If your dog does show signs of the disease, they may have a mild, persistent cough; low energy; weight loss and reduced appetite. A severe heartworm infestation could result in signs of heart failure, including a swollen abdomen from fluid buildup.
What to do if your dog has a kennel cough?
Kennel cough can even lead to retching and subsequent vomiting. Kennel cough may resolves on its own, but antibiotics and cough suppressants are often prescribed to reduce coughing and the likelihood of secondary problems, such as pneumonia.
What causes a dog to cough and gag?
Congestive heart failure can occur when the heart becomes enlarged and obstructs airways, thus producing a cough and/or gagging episodes in your dog. Heartworms can also cause a dog to cough excessively. Pericardial effusion is the buildup of fluid around the heart and can cause your dog to produce a “wet” cough or a gagging sound.
Can a dog with heartworm have a mild cough?
Dogs with heartworm disease may have a cough or they may exhibit no signs at all — it depends on the dog’s size, how many worms they’re harboring and the dog’s overall health. If your dog does show signs of the disease, they may have a mild, persistent cough; low energy; weight loss and reduced appetite.
Why does my dog have a persistent cough?
Some of the common dog chronic cough causes include an obstruction in the dog’s windpipe, pneumonia, heartworm disease, bronchitis, lung tumors, heart failure and kennel cough.
Is there a cure for dog coughing?
The most common treatments for dog cough are either anti-viral drugs or antibiotics. These drugs work by flooding the dog’s body with chemicals that are intended not to be harmful to the dog, but fatally toxic to the pathogen infecting it, thereby eliminating the pathogen population inside the dog.
Why is my dog gagging and coughing?
Dog coughing and gagging could be a symptom of a serious heart condition, like an enlarged heart disease. An enlarged heart will press on your dog’s esophagus making her cough. However, the most likely heart condition to cause dog coughing and gagging is the infamous heartworm.
Why is my dog hacking and coughing?
Auto-immune diseases, coccidiosis, allergies and internal parasites can all cause coughing or gagging in dogs. As mentioned earlier, your pet may be coughing or hacking simply because he ate or drank too quickly. Choking on foreign objects may also cause your pet to cough uncontrollably.