The occasional cough from Fido is normal and likely nothing to worry about, but if your pooch is coughing incessantly, it's time to visit the vet to determine the cause. Your vet may prescribe medication to treat whatever is causing your pup's coughing and possibly prescribe a cough suppressant to help provide him with some relief. You also can use
a few natural remedies to alleviate his cough while he recuperates. Several illnesses can cause your pooch to cough incessantly, including the most common, which is kennel cough. Kennel cough, also known as tracheobronchitis, is a highly contagious respiratory disease that causes a dry, hacking or honk-like cough. Lung problems, foreign bodies in the lungs, pneumonia, bronchitis and trachea problems all can result in your pup's frequent
coughs. Other respiratory diseases caused by bacteria, fungi and parasites can be the cause of your pup's persistent cough. More serious conditions such as heartworm infections and heart disease can lead to coughing, especially after exercise. Tracheal collapse, a condition most commonly found in toy and miniature breeds of dogs, also can result in frequent coughing. If your pup's cough is persistent, doesn't go away within a week or he
develops other symptoms such as a fever or lack of appetite, bring him to the vet for a checkup. Your vet can diagnose the cause of your pup's condition through a variety of tests, including blood and urine tests, X-rays and CT scans. Once she determines the cause of your pup's coughing, she can develop a treatment plan. She may prescribe a cough suppressant for your pooch during his recovery if he has a dry cough, but not if he has a moist one. Cough suppressants can impede the healing process
if your pup's coughing is moist and productive. Productive coughing is necessary for your pooch to expel any excess mucus from his lungs and airways. To provide your pup with some relief from his frequent dry coughing during his recovery, give him a little bit of honey a few times a day to help sooth his throat and quiet his cough, recommends the Whole Dog Journal. Honey is sweet, so your pup should enjoy eating it.
Coconut oil also may help with his cough and won't hurt your pooch. Consult with your vet about what amounts of honey or coconut oil she thinks are appropriate for your particular pooch. A vaporizer or diffuser, filled with a few drops of essential oils such as eucalyptus and lavender may help relieve your pup's coughing naturally and help open his airways if he's a bit congested. Steam from a humidifier or nebulizer also can loosen the mucus in
your pup's lungs, providing him with some relief from his coughing and make his wet coughs more productive. Simply masking your pup's cough with a cough suppressant isn't a solution to whatever the underlying cause of the coughing is. After treating the cause of the cough, your vet will only prescribe an over-the-counter cough suppressant such as dextromethorphan for your pup if she thinks it is warranted. This
cough suppressant isn't approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in animals, but is frequently prescribed "off-label" for dry coughs and chronic bronchitis in dogs and cats. Never give other human cough medications containing acetaminophen, alcohol or caffeine to your pup as these ingredients are toxic to dogs, warns PetEducation.com. References Photo Credits Nagy-Bagoly Ilona/iStock/Getty Images Writer Bio Based in Las Vegas, Susan Paretts has been writing since 1998. She writes about many subjects including pets, finances, crafts, food, home improvement, shopping and going green. Her articles, short stories and reviews have appeared on City National Bank's website and on The Noseprint. Paretts holds a Master of Professional Writing from the University of Southern California. How to help a coughing dog Just like us, most dogs will pick up a cough at least once (but probably several times) in their lives. Usually this is nothing to worry about. Just like us, when we get a cold, the cough is irritating, sometimes painful, but otherwise harmless, and just has to run its course. Of course there can be more serious reasons for a cough, such as a heart condition, a foreign body, pneumonia, or even cancer, and if your dog is unwell or the cough doesn’t disappear, then you should always get this checked out. Much more often though, a cough is just a mild infection or irritation of the upper airways, and this can usually easily be treated at home. Even the dreaded Kennel Cough doesn’t usually require conventional medication (occasionally it does). But it can be uncomfortable for your dog, and distressing for you to watch, and we definitely want to support these dogs as much as we can. Here are some of my favourite tried and tested tips: Plenty of fresh air: Our warm homes with central heating tend to have quite dry air, which irritates the airways. Fresh air is always best. Make sure any rooms your dog spends time in are well ventilated, and the room temperature isn’t warmer than it needs to be, to be comfortable. Putting some damp towels over the radiators can help to add some moisture to the room air, which makes it easier on the airways. Sometimes a humidifier works wonders. Avoiding airway irritants: It goes without saying that you should never smoke inside your home if you have pets (or kids). Even smoking at an open window or door makes most of the smoke come back in. And if your dog already has a cough, second hand smoke will irritate their airways even more. Cleaning products can irritate dogs’ airways, as can any room sprays, air fresheners, plug ins, scented candles, and even your own perfumes and beauty products. Avoid using these around your dog. Short and gentle walks: This is no time for strenuous activities. Go for easy walks instead. Wear a harness: dogs that pull on their lead and therefore their collar, even a little bit, will aggravate their cough, as they put that extra pressure onto their already sore airways. A harness is much gentler. Warmth: Time to get the dog coats out. If they cover the neck and throat, so much the better. Many dogs like to wear a light coat in the house too. Or they might like to be covered by a cosy blanket. Moisture: Make sure there is plenty of fresh water to drink. Refresh the bowl often. With a cough, there can be more saliva build up in the water than usual, and this is not only unappetising, but also a breeding ground for bacteria. Add some water or broth to your dog’s food, to increase their water intake. If you feed kibble, consider switching to a moist food. A well hydrated body can fight off infection better and your dog will feel brighter. Another way to moisten the airways and help to break up mucous, is steam baths. The easiest way to do this, is to run a hot bath or shower, with your dog in the bathroom and the door closed to keep the steam inside. A few drops of good quality lavender oil added to the water adds a soothing effect on the airways, is calming, anti inflammatory and antimicrobial. My favourite cough remedies: Honey: Antibacterial, immune enhancing, and soothing for the throat, honey is a real super food. Local, raw honey is best. Don’t fall for the Manuka honey hype! Much of what is sold as Manuka honey isn’t the real thing. The industry isn’t regulated well enough for us to be able to know which might be a real Manuka honey, and which not. I’d much rather support a local bee keeper and know that I’m getting a quality product. And local honey has the added benefit of helping with seasonal allergies too- bonus! Give your dog half to one teaspoon of honey, mixed with a little warm water. Give as it is, mixed with some food, or add the honey to some lovely soothing sage tea. Puppies under one year old can’t have honey. Sage: My mum used to make me and my brother gargle with sage tea when we had a sore throat. We can’t make dogs gargle, but it works beautifully as a tea too. Sage can reduce inflammation in the mouth and throat, and works as an antimicrobial. Make a sage tea with 1 teaspoon of fresh sage per cup of boiling water, cover (to capture the essential oils), let steep for 10 minutes, the strain and let cool down. Give your dog around 1/3 of a cup per 10kg body weight, divided into smaller portions throughout the day. Pregnant dogs, and those that are feeding puppies, shouldn’t have sage, as it can bring on contractions and dry up their milk. Otherwise sage is very safe. When they need a bit more help, I love to add marshmallow root and echinacea, and I have my own signature blend of herbal tinctures and syrups that I often prescribe for dogs with coughs. I get amazing feedback from dog owners on how well it works, and that gives me so much joy. And all of the above is of course also true for us humans when we have a cough. I’m all for supporting our own health naturally, as well as that of our dogs- and more often than not, the same support works for both humans and animals alike. What can you do for a dog with a cough?Supportive care is an important part of treating coughs caused by infections. Dogs should be encouraged to rest, drink, and eat. Cough suppressants can help with especially severe symptoms. Antibiotics are effective only against bacteria.
Why does my dog keep coughing and gagging?Two very common things that can cause gagging in dogs are infectious problems and laryngeal paralysis. Kennel cough, which is a type of respiratory infection, is a common cause of dog gagging, which results in a harsh, goose-like cough, sometimes followed by a gag.
Why is my dog coughing like something is stuck in her throat?A dog coughing like something is stuck in their throat is usually caused by kennel cough, a highly contagious but also usually self-limiting infection. This is generally not a cause of big concern in dogs that do not present other symptoms.
|
How to help your dog stop coughing
Related Posts
Copyright © 2024 themosti Inc.
