Pets are one of our most treasured possessions, and everyone is always worried and concerned when there is something wrong with their pet. However, this worry only comes from watching your pet and observing it to notice any changes. When you have a dog, it can likely show some symptoms that will make you worry.
Some of the reasons your dog keeps coughing are lung disease, heart disease, kennel cough, heartworm disease, collapsed trachea, canine distemper, ingesting foreign objects, fungal infections, pneumonia, and a reverse sneeze. You have to take the dog to a vet for a medical checkup in severe cases.
Coughing can indicate serious sickness if it becomes a constant or recurrent condition. Knowing the most prevalent causes of coughing in dogs might assist you in determining when you should be concerned.
Why Does My Dog Keep Coughing?
The same way humans cough as a natural response to any form of irritation or unwanted substances from our airway – dogs cough for the same reason too. Dogs often explore different things with both their mouth and nose.
During the process of exploring, there are possibilities the dog comes into contact with things such as dust and dirt, which causes it to cough. Most times, the dog would likely stop coughing once it can get rid of the substances in its airway.
However, if the cough becomes excessive, it might mean something more serious, and the dog might require a vet’s attention. Below are some reasons why your dog keeps coughing.
Kennel Cough
If you have noticed your dog has a dry, deep, and honking cough, your dog could be suffering from kennel cough. This cough is very contagious, and it often spreads faster among dogs.
If you recently took your dog out to meet other dogs or a dog daycare center and you notice it having this cough, the dog may be suffering from kennel cough. Kennel cough is often caused by viruses, resulting in your dog getting sick.
If the Kennel cough is not treated on time, it could cause further damage like chronic bronchitis or pneumonia to the dog. To treat the cough, meet with your vet to prescribe certain drugs for your dog. Also, during treatment, ensure your dog stays away from other dogs.
Heart Disease
This is another common reason why dogs cough. If a dog has heart disease, it could prevent its heart from pumping blood and fluids smoothly. The dog’s body fluids would accumulate in the lung tissues, resulting in coughing.
This type of cough is usually very soft and continuous, and it gets worse whenever your dog is sleeping or resting. So, if you notice this type of cough in your dog, you would need to meet with your vet for professional prescriptions for heart diseases.
Heartworm Disease
This disease is often transmitted by mosquitoes biting from one dog to another and is common in warm places like Canada and Florida. With time, the transmitted heartworm from the mosquitoes grows bigger in the heart and lungs of dogs that have been newly infected, which could cause lung failure.
When a dog is attacked with this disease, it might not exhibit any cough symptoms. The dog’s general health condition, size, and the number of worms in the dog’s body will determine if the dog would show cough symptoms.
The symptoms could be weight loss, reduced energy, and lack of eating. Certain medications could prevent heartworm disease. However, if your dog is down with this disease, it is usually expensive to treat.
Collapsed Trachea
Toy-sized dog breeds such as Pugs, Chihuahuas, and Shi Tzus are at higher risks of facing this health challenge. This condition causes the trachea to become weak, causing it to collapse.
This then leads to an irritation that causes a cough usually accompanied by a goose honk sound. The cough is usually worse in obese dogs and dogs exposed to certain allergies and irritants.
When a dog is faced with this cough, medications that decrease inflammation, suppress the cough, and dilate airways could be prescribed for treatment, as they often help. However, if these medications do not help, surgery might be the last option for effective treatment.
Further Reading: Why Does My Dog Twitch In His Sleep? [ANSWERED]
Foreign Objects
This is another common reason why a lot of dogs cough. This is usually common in puppies and dogs that like to chew toys and bones. If your dog, who has been healthy and fine, suddenly begins to cough and you cannot find a specific toy, there are chances the dog has already swallowed it.
Most times, the object would naturally come out when the dog keeps coughing. However, in case it does not, the object might have to be removed through surgery or the use of an endoscope.
How Do I Know If My Dog’s Cough Is Serious?
Coughing does not always mean your dog is sick. Coughing in dogs can occur due to eating or drinking too quickly, inhaling anything irritating to the nasal tract such as pollen or dust, or even because their breed is predisposed to it. Before you make any assumptions, you should be able to distinguish each of your dog’s symptoms.
Whether your dog has only recently developed a moderate cough and appears to be in good health, it is appropriate to wait a few days to see if the disease will resolve on its own. Make an appointment with your veterinarian if your cough is particularly acute, worsens, or does not improve after a week or so.
You know when your dog’s cough is serious when the cough does not get better, when your dog starts coughing up blood, when the dog is off its food or is lethargic, and when the dog is breathing abnormally or is having trouble breathing. When you notice any of these symptoms in your dog, you should immediately take it to the veterinarian.
How Can I Help My Dog Stop Coughing?
Taking a coughing dog to the vet is the best thing you can do for them. Many of the causes of coughing in dogs are completely curable, but they must first be correctly diagnosed. When you take your dog to the vet, be sure to describe their cough in detail, as well as any other symptoms your dog has displayed, such as coughing blood, mucus, and white foam.
Your dog, like any other sick family member, deserves some extra attention while their cough heals. Ensure they have lots of water, good dog food, and plenty of time to relax. If they want to be alone, stay away. Tell children to leave sleeping pets alone until they have recovered and keep them away from other dogs until they have recovered.
Why Is My Dog Constantly Coughing And Gagging?
For the most part, Gagging is a normal and common reaction in dogs. It is generally a sign that you are about to vomit. If your dog occasionally gags and vomits quickly and has no other symptoms, there is nothing to be concerned about. However, there is a problem when your dog is constantly coughing and gagging.
If you notice your dog hacking away or making choking sounds, they may have Kennel Cough. Also, if your dog inhales air contaminated with bacteria and virus particles, it could become unwell. Infection with Kennel Cough causes inflammation of the larynx and trachea. This is why your dog can cough and gag as if he is choking.
Final Thoughts
One of the qualities you must possess as a pet owner is to be observant; you need to watch your dog every time; that is when you can know when there is something wrong with your dog. By being observant, you will also prevent a lot of bad things from happening to your dog.
Additional reading:
Shawn Manaher is a serial entrepreneur but when he isn’t working, he loves dogs. He’s owned different pets over the years, and always gives a part of his heart to each pet.
