You may believe that there are countless reasons why a dog can cough. You are right. There are many reopens and some are common while others are rare. Why does my dog cough? Well, here we will explain all the reasons that are common and a few that are rare. It is important to know why your dog has this issue in order to help him more and in less time. Yes, your pet needs proper treatment and help right now.
10 Common Reasons Your Dog Cough
1. Canine Influenza
This is a fancy name for the flu that affects dogs. The symptoms and the issues are similar to when a human suffers from an infection. This problem can last between 10 and 30 days and yes, your pet will need treatment. Why does my dog cough? He has the flu which is the most obvious answer here. Treatment includes medications that your pet needs. Keep in mind that you should quarantine sick dog if you have more pets in the home.
2. Kennel Cough
Kennel Cough or tracheobronchitis is a very common cause and the one that affects the trachea and lower airways. A dog will have a dry and hacking cough and it will be worse when on the leash. Treatment will include medications such as antibiotics and cough suppressants. Some dogs can get well without any treatment, but this is not something you should look for.
Some of you will say that this affects young dogs only and adult pets are immune. This is not true. All dogs can end up with kennel cough and it can be a severe problem. There is a vaccine that can protect your pet before any symptoms or issues appear.
3. Heartworms
Believe it or not, heartworms can cause coughing. This is one of the symptoms the disease will reveal. The cough will be mild and persistent. Energy loss and losing weight are other symptoms in this case scenario.
Heartworm disease is more common in areas where the temperature is high (so there are more mosquitos) but it is present all over the world. Some dogs don’t have any symptoms which makes diagnosis extremely difficult. This disease can cause heart failure.
4. Pneumonia
As you can assume, this is a common cause of cough in dogs. It is basically inflammation of the lungs and dogs who have it will have a moist and soft cough. They will not have an appetite and they will have a fever. Treatment is more complex than in some other cases. These dogs will need medications, and fluids and they may even need hospitalization until they recover.
5. Collapsing Trachea
Tracheal collapse is another issue that can cause coughing in dogs. Small dog breeds (pugs, chihuahuas etc.) are more prone to this problem. As the name suggests, it can happen when the trachea collapses. It will become soft as well which makes things worse. Keep in consideration that your pet will have a dry and persistent cough. It will be even worse when on the leash.
We must add that this problem requires serious treatment that includes medications such as antibiotics, bronchodilators, steroids, and also cough suppressants. In rare situations, a dog may need surgery.
6. Heart Diseases
We must add that this is not the same as heartworm disease or any other here on the list. This happens when your pet has a heart that is bigger than it should be. As the result, the heart will press the airways and make your pet cough.
Coughing will be worse at night and when your pet rests on the side. A cough will be dry and continuous. The treatment includes heart medications. There is no need to tell you that this is a severe disease and you will want to take your pet to a vet as soon as you can. Last but not least, this is one of the more common causes of coughing in dogs.
7. Ingesting Toxic Substance
A dog can start coughing when he ingested or inhaled an irritant or poison. This includes rat poison, mold, chemicals and so much more. Even smoking inside the house can cause your dog to cough. We must add that rat poison is extremely dangerous in this particular case and your pet will need immediate help. Regardless of the cause, you must take him to a vet and start treatment.
8. Obesity
There is no other way to say this. Obesity can cause your pet to cough and it is more common than you may believe. This happens when the excess weight puts stress on the airways and causes coughing. The solution is to help your dog lose weight. In the meantime you may get some medications from a vet to treat coughing.
9. Blade of Grass
Here is one condition that looks simple and even impossible but can be extremely severe. If your poet inhales a blade of grass such as foxtail, he can end up coughing. The blade of grass can end up in the lungs or chest cavity. It can cause pneumothorax, pyothorax, pneumonia, and lung abscesses. An interesting thing here is that blades of grass can cause a mixture of all these diseases and conditions.
There are treatments for the problem. They are not simple and they may be expensive but they usually help. It is important to know that this can happen to any dog at any given moment. It will not go away by itself!
10. Certain Medications
It is important to add that some medications can cause coughing in a dog. This is a side effect. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or ACE can cause coughing in dogs. As a matter of fact, coughing is a common side effect in this case. A cough will be dry, hacking and it will happen at night most of the time. Once your pet stops taking medications, he will stop coughing!
The Final Word
Why does my dog cough? There are numerous reasons for this and each one has its risk. It is important to try and understand why your dog does this sooner. That’s why you can help him more and in less time. It is not a mistake to take your pet to a vet if he has been coughing the entire day.