Some dog owners believe that their puppy will never get hiccups. These are reserved for humans only. This is not true. Puppies and hiccups are a common thing. It may sound funny but it is far from that. This can be annoying and will make your puppy uncomfortable hence you may want to act. Here we will explain all the things you need to know about this matter.
Why Do Puppies Get Hiccups?
All mammals can get hiccups. Humans can so dogs can as well. These are very sharp air intakes that can last for minutes or last a couple of seconds only. Puppies and hiccups are very common and they are usually harmless and may sound funny. Yes, you will hear that ‘’hic’’ sound.
Your puppy can get hiccups when he is too excited, eats too fast, or drinks water too fast. He can even get hiccups due to glasses. This happens when the diaphragm which is a massive muscle is irritated. It will start contracting involuntarily and cause hiccups as a result. The same explanation is present among humans.
Keep in mind that puppies of all ages and actually dogs of all ages can get hiccups. This is perfectly normal and there is no obvious reason to take him to a vet in an emergency. You need to know more before you decide to react.
Should You Do Something To Help Your Puppy
The short answer is no, you don’t have to do anything. Hiccups are not painful nor cause a lot of other problems. They just happen and they will go away without you doing anything. Some dog owners believe that they must take a puppy to a vet or they must react. First of all, there are no medications you can use for this. We humans can gargle, hold our breath, and do all kinds of other things to stop hiccups. Usually, these do not work.
For the lack of a better word, you can monitor your dog, give him water and food if he wants, and nothing more. Hiccups will go away within seconds or minutes and your puppy will be fine. We must add that some puppies are scared of hiccups and they will start to act nervous. Try to calm down your pet and help him withstand this. As we have revealed, hiccups are not painful but they can surprise your puppy.
You should only worry when hiccups occur all the time and they last for hours or the entire day. This is not common and actually, not many diseases or conditions will cause hiccups. Anyway, if your puppy ends up with this issue, he may suffer from heatstroke, gastric issues, or respiratory issues.
This is the time when you must take him to a vet. However, if one of these is present, your puppy will have other symptoms as well. He will cough, has discharge from the nose, vomit, or has diarrhea. In most cases hiccups are standalone traits hence they are harmless. Always look for some other issues regardless of hiccups.
Things You Can Do To Help Your Puppy
There are a few things you can try to help your puppy. In most situations, there is no need to do anything, but if your puppy has hiccups that last a long time, you may want to try some of these. Every puppy is different so there is no one solution for all dog owners. Try all of these and discover which one works best.
- Try to spook your puppy. If you two know how to play hide and seek, try it now and spook him. This may work well.
- Some puppies like it when you massage their chests. Massaging will relax their diaphragm and will stop hiccups. There is no need to add that some puppies may stop within seconds while others will need a massage for minutes.
- A small sip of water may help as well. Just keep in mind that he needs a very small sip and not to drink a lot of water.
- Give something sweet to your puppy. You can mix water with a small amount of sugar. This can relax a puppy and the hiccups will go away.
- A walk can help your puppy as well. Always make sure that your puppy gets a light level of exercise. He needs to relax and try to forget about hiccups.
- You can also add maple syrup or honey to some treats. Honey is an excellent choice here. It will coat the throat and the digestive tract which can deal with irritation. Do not use artificial sweeteners or anything similar. The worst thing you can use is Xylitol. It is toxic to dogs and it is something you must avoid at all costs.
The best thing you can do is prevention.
You will have to train your puppy not to be excited too much or hiccups are going to become common. Make sure he gets plenty of food and that he eats slowly. The situation is the same when it comes to water. Always be really careful when your puppy eats. If he eats too fast, this can lead to choking which is a bad thing as you can understand.
In addition, when a puppy has hiccups, his chest will contract very violently. This means that he must not get large pieces of food to consume. He can choke easily so you can give him a small piece of food just to try and stop hiccups.
The Final Word
We know that the first time you bring your puppy to your house you will be happy and scared. Puppies and hiccups are one of those things that will scare you and make you want to take him to a vet right now. There is no need to do this. Hiccups are not dangerous and they are harmless. They just look scary because they may look violent and painful. They are not.