Dog coughs and chokes? (7 interesting facts)

Whether the cough occurred after eating too hastily, drinking too quickly, or after strenuous physical activity. Coughing is a natural reflex of your pet. This reflex is to help remove foreign bodies or various secretions from the airways as quickly as possible.

Why do dogs cough?

A cough is not necessarily a sign that your pet is ill. It is just like yours: a symptom. A distinction is made between dry and wet coughs.

A dry cough sounds harsh and rough. It is also painful for your pet. A dry cough can be triggered by infections or inflammation of the airways. If you've ever had a rough cough yourself, you'll know how agonizing it can be.

With a wet cough, your furry friend usually coughs up sputum. You can recognize this type of cough by the fact that it is softer and also sounds rattling or gurgling. If the cough is rather wet, pneumonia may be a possibility.

In both forms, retching may occur. However, wet cough is often accompanied by vomiting of fluid or mucus.

Coughing in dogs can have many different causes. A common reason for coughing is an acute or chronic respiratory disease. This is often caused by bacteria or viruses. An allergy can also be the trigger.

You should always consult your veterinarian if the cough does not subside or if it occurs on a regular basis.

Heart cough

Animals often suffer from a so-called heart cough. Especially if your dog is a little older, you should consider cardiac cough as a cause. This is caused by dilated or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or, in colloquial terms, an enlargement of the heart muscle.

In a normally functioning heart, oxygen-rich blood flows into the left ventricle and is then pumped into the aorta.

In most cases, a valve defect is the cause of cardiac muscle enlargement and/or thickening. This valve defect causes congestion in the lungs, which leads to pulmonary edema and subsequently to breathing difficulties.

However, the main cause of the heart cough is the enlarged heart, which presses on the trachea and large bronchi of the lungs due to its significant increase in size. This mechanical stimulus then causes the cough.

Dogs that have this cough often also suffer from a loss of appetite. This is why they often also lose weight. Symptoms such as shortness of breath or heavy panting can also occur. The cough sounds more like a gurgling sound and occurs more frequently at night.

If you observe that your faithful friend is suffering from such a cough, you should consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Your veterinarian can use cardiac auscultation, an EKG, or an ultrasound to determine exactly what is wrong with your pet. He can also determine which treatment is the best possible.

Treatment for heart disease is done with medications that relieve the heart. This ensures a higher quality of life for your furry companion.

Slings

Nutrition plays a major role in your pet's health. Quick gulping can trigger a cough. This is because it is not uncommon for a chunk of food to get into the airways. This situation is life-threatening for your pet due to the extremely high risk of choking.

Another consequence for your dog is a dangerous Gastric torsion. If your furry friend gobbles down his food very hastily, it is advisable to give him a Anti-snareto get.

If you are barfeeding or preparing his food yourself, cut the pieces large enough to force your pelt nose to chew.

Allergy

An allergy or polluted air can be a trigger for coughing. If you smoke a lot and your pet suffers from a cough, it is very likely that the smoke is the cause. In this case, it is advisable to stop smoking as much as possible or not to smoke in the presence of your four-legged friend.

In the case of an allergy, the attending vet must decide what further treatment is required. Other external circumstances, such as dry indoor air, can also be the cause of coughing. A simple humidifier can help with dry indoor air.

Lung tumors

In lung tumors, coughing is one of the first signs. However, this symptom also occurs quite late. Usually when the cancer has already metastasized or is greatly enlarged.

The cough in lung tumors may occur at irregularly large intervals or may be chronic. Other symptoms include weight loss, decrease in performance, fever, and fluid in the lungs. **

If your charge has been diagnosed with a lung tumor, euthanasia is often the only way to end his suffering. However, individual tumors that have not yet metastasized can be surgically removed.

Various medications can also prolong and improve his life in the short term. A tumor in a dog is usually detected by an X-ray examination.

Tracheal collapse

Tracheal collapse could be another reason for the cough. This occurs mainly in dwarf dog breeds, such as Yorkshire Terrier or Maltese.

In this disease, the trachea collapses. Tracheal collapse can be treated conservatively with medication, but it is not possible to completely cure a sick dog of it.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia can also not be ruled out. It is a frequent trigger of cough. In the early stages, this still sounds quite dry, rough and barking.

If the inflammation is not treated, the initially quite dry cough develops into a wet cough. This is then often accompanied by rattling breathing noises and wet wheezing.

In addition to the cough, other symptoms such as fever, tiredness and listlessness can occur. In addition, shortness of breath and a lack of oxygen are not uncommon when the lungs are inflamed.

Pneumonia can usually be treated well and effectively if the disease is detected early enough. Because if pneumonia is left untreated in your pet, it can lead to serious damage or even death.

Lungworms

Another condition that could be considered are. Lungworms. These also occur in the Central European region.

Lungworms are more common in young dogs that are between one and two years old. Infection occurs when dogs either eat a snail infected with lungworms out of curiosity or ingest the snail unknowingly.

An example of this would be if there is a snail in the drinking bowl and the dog ingests this animal by drinking. The worms then develop in the pulmonary vessels. The symptoms here are coughing, shortness of breath and increased clearing of the throat.

Diagnosis follows through a stool sample or endoscopy and is then treated with the proper medications.

Mucous sputum is not uncommon and can have many causes. Infections of the respiratory tract or larynx are often the cause of the mucus. If the lungs are inflamed, your furry friend will also often cough up mucus. You should definitely contact a vet in this case.

If you hear a barking cough in your four-legged friend, this could be a sign of kennel cough. You can find more information about this below.

Depending on the cause, your pelt-nose will be treated accordingly. Mild infections usually heal without medication. However, severe inflammations and infections must be treated with antibiotics and other medications.

In the case of chronic bronchitis, your four-legged friend will be prescribed inhalation therapy and tablets. Heart disease can be well controlled with medication. With lung problems, sometimes the lungs also need to be drained.

To provide relief, the humidity should not be too low at night. This is because dry air makes coughing even more irritating. You can also sprinkle ribwort plantain over the food before going to bed. This will clear the airways.

Please note that essential substances can have unpleasant side effects on your pet. Therefore, it is advisable to consult your veterinarian before using herbal remedies.

In addition to conventional medications, you can also support healing with natural remedies.

One of the oldest methods of curing coughs is steam inhalation. Here you can simply turn the shower on hot until steam comes out and let your dog inhale. The steam soothes the bronchial tubes and helps cough up mucus.

Honey has an antibacterial effect and supports the respiratory tract. Just give your four-legged friend a teaspoon of it every few hours.

Does your pet often suffer from respiratory infections? You can reduce the risk by strengthening the immune system. Herbal remedies such as honey have proven particularly effective here.

You should also avoid stress, a regular daily routine and a warm-hearted interaction with your furry nose will work wonders. In addition, a lack of hygiene can lead to diseases.

If you give your beloved four-legged friend to a boarding kennel because you might be traveling, you should make sure that the boarding kennel is hygienic and that the animals there look healthy. You may also want to talk to your vet about possible vaccinations.

Reverse coughing, also known as "reverse sneezing", usually occurs in short-headed dog breeds. It is often seizure-like and is similar to an asthma attack. This process usually only lasts a few seconds.

If your dog has such attacks, don't worry! Of course, you should have it checked out by your vet, but for the most part, no treatment is necessary for backward coughing. You can hold your nose briefly during an attack to help your pet.

Kennel cough is a very feared disease among dog owners. However, in healthy animals this disease usually runs its course without any problems and heals well. In puppies and immunocompromised animals, however, kennel cough can cause great suffering and last for a long time.

What is kennel cough exactly?

In technical terms, kennel cough is called infectious tracheobronchitis. Kennel cough is also known as dog flu or dog cough. In this disease, the upper respiratory tract is infected by bacteria or viruses.

Kennel cough is transmitted by droplet infection and is highly contagious, but not necessarily life-threatening. Infection usually occurs when an infected dog sneezes or coughs.

Where can my dog get infected?

The other term dog flu applies here rather than the term kennel cough. Because not only in the kennel your dog can get infected, but also in other places, such as boarding kennels, animal shelters or dog schools.

Wherever your pet meets another infected dog, there is a risk of infection. After infection, a few days pass before the disease finally breaks out.

Symptoms of kennel cough

Typically, after the outbreak of canine influenza, your pet suffers from a dry cough. This cough occurs more frequently at night and when pressure is exerted on the windpipe. An example of this is when you pull too hard on the lead. You could get a chest harness to relieve this.

The cough is usually sudden and severe. An accompanying gag reflex is also not a rare symptom. Inflammation in the airways can lead to breathing difficulties and increased clear nasal and eye discharge. Unlike other diseases, the general condition is usually good at the beginning.

In the advanced phase, however, the symptoms are accompanied by fever, general malaise, vomiting and swollen lymph nodes. You should also keep an eye on your vital signs.

Diagnosis of kennel cough

The attending vet can usually tell whether this is kennel cough based on the symptoms and the course of the disease (contact with many other dogs). The vet may also ask for evidence of the pathogen in your pet's bronchial or nasal secretions.

How is kennel cough treated?

In any case, you should always consult your vet if you notice such symptoms. They can determine the right treatment option for your four-legged friend. If the canine flu was caused by bacteria, an antibiotic will usually help. If necessary, your vet will also prescribe a fever-reducing medication.

However, healing does not always have to be supported by medication. The chances of recovery are excellent and most pets get over kennel cough in one to two weeks. But even this time is variable and different for every dog.

However, if your charge's immune system is weakened, illnesses such as pneumonia and pleurisy can develop or the healing process can be greatly delayed.

A lot of rest and little stress are important for your dog right now. You should also keep him away from other dogs so that the disease does not spread further. If you have several dogs, you should separate the others from the sick dog as much as possible.

Prevention of kennel cough

To prevent kennel cough, your pet should enjoy a healthy lifestyle. That is, he should be allowed to move a lot in the open air and get a balanced diet.

Vaccination can be another precautionary measure. Whether your dog needs a vaccination is best discussed personally with the vet. Because this is individual. Vaccination does not completely prevent the risk of infection. However, vaccinated dogs have a far less severe course of the disease than unvaccinated dogs.

Rough or wet, just as it is for us humans, coughing is very unpleasant for our faithful four-legged friends and can have more profound causes.

That's why you shouldn't hesitate for long to make an appointment with your vet to follow up.

The earlier a diagnosis is made, the less chance a creeping disease has to settle in and spread!