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- Irritated Throat. Just like humans, dogs can cough if dust or another irritant gets in their throat. While uncommon for dogs, they can get a sore throat, a throat infection or tonsillitis.
- Choking. If something is stuck in your dog’s throat and blocking their airway, they will likely cough to get it out. You’ll usually hear high-pitched gagging if they are trying to remove a foreign object.
- Kennel Cough. Kennel cough is another common cause for why your dog might be coughing, especially if you’re hearing a deep, dry, honking cough. The illness is highly contagious and can move into the lungs and cause pneumonia, so if you have other dogs in the home you’ll want to have them checked as well.
- Pneumonia. Most often seen in young puppies or senior dogs with compromised immune systems, pneumonia is characterized by a wet and phlegmy cough. It can be caused by everything from a bacteria or virus to aspirating something they’ve inhaled.
- History and Physical Examination
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Summary
A thorough history is helpful for distinguishing among the differential diagnoses for the cough. Knowing the patient’s geographic location, travel history, and environment will help you form a list of differential diagnoses. This list can be refined by considering signalment and findings from the physical examination, including careful cervical and...
Consider various differential diagnoses before selecting diagnostic tests and planning appropriate treatment for chronic cough in a dog. The recommended minimum database includes complete blood count, heartworm antigen testing, and cervicothoracic radiographs. The most valuable initial diagnostic test for the chronically coughing patient is 3-view ...
If the history, physical examination, and diagnostics confirm that the cough is respiratory in origin, management should address the underlying cause; however, regardless of underlying cause, most patients benefit from various nonspecific strategies. The most useful strategy is weight loss for overweight dogs. Another strategy is airway nebulizatio...
In summary, chronic cough is a common presenting complaint for dogs of all ages. After cardiac causes of cough are ruled out, the differential list of respiratory causes can be narrowed down by using signalment, history, physical examination, CBC, and survey cervicothoracic radiographs. When the cause of cough is not apparent based on these diagnos...
People also ask
Can a dog get a chronic cough?
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What causes a dog to cough?
In its early stages, the main sign of chronic bronchitis is chronic coughing or coughing that persists for longer than a month. The cough is usually 'dry' or harsh, and gagging is common after coughing. As the disease progresses, difficulty breathing, decreased exercise tolerance (tires easily), or even fainting with overexertion may occur.
- Heart Disease. One of the most common reasons for a dog cough is a disease of the heart valves or heart muscle; this prevents a dog's heart from pumping blood efficiently.
- Pneumonia. Pneumonia is another common condition that pet parents often worry about when they notice their dog coughing. Dog pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs) can be the result of bacteria, a preexisting viral infection (such as canine influenza or distemper), swallowing difficulties, regurgitation or certain metabolic disorders.
- Kennel Cough. Kennel cough — another one of the most common causes of coughing in dogs — is a catchall term for tracheobronchitis, inflammation and infection of the windpipe and the main lower airways.
- Tracheal Collapse. Tracheal collapse is a condition that causes the trachea, or windpipe, to become soft and floppy; it affects small and toy breeds most often, including Pomeranians, Chihuahuas, pugs and shih tzus.
- Kennel Cough. Kennel cough in dogs is a respiratory issue that can lead to throat infection and bronchitis in dogs. It is caused by various bacteria or viruses that can work together or alone.
- Sore Throat. A sore throat causes upper airway irritation and can develop due to any number of respiratory infections. Some of these are tonsillitis, mouth disease, strep throat, canine influenza virus, and sinusitis.
- Reverse Sneezing. Reverse sneezing is an involuntary breathing reflex that sucks air in rather than blowing it out. The sound is a bit like coughing, but it can sometimes sound like choking.
- Tracheal Collapse. Tracheal collapse happens when the cartilage rings are too weak to support the trachea. The passageway becomes compressed, so when your dog forces air through, a "honking" sound occurs.
Dec 14, 2021 · Dog Health Care. Common Dog Conditions & Treatments. Is Your Dog Coughing? Here's What Could Be Causing It and When You Should See the Vet. Kennel cough is the most common cause of dog coughing, but you'll want your vet to get to the bottom of it. By. Austin Cannon. Published on December 14, 2021.
Dec 10, 2023 · 1. Respiratory infections. “Some dogs will cough after routine things, like drinking water [or inhaling treats] too quickly,” says Dr. Sara Ochoa, a veterinarian at Whitehouse Veterinary Hospital.
