Reasons Why My Dog is Coughing – 5 Tips to Know (Symptoms + Allergies)

Reasons Why My Dog is Coughing

If your dog is coughing, you might want to check for cancer. Some forms of cancer can be treated with anti-cancer drugs, but some are not.

Lung cancer in dogs usually originates in other organs and is transferred through the bloodstream. While some types of cancer are curable, others need surgical removal.

Here are a few reasons why your dog may be coughing. Listed below are just a few of the most common causes.

Excitation

If you’re looking for an explanation for your dog’s cough, you’ve probably already tried several approaches. While your dog might cough every now and then, the symptoms of an illness or underlying condition are usually much more serious.

If your pet coughs and gurgigates when excited, the symptoms of an underlying condition may be the root cause. Keeping a close eye on your dog’s behavior can help you determine what is causing the cough and seek veterinary advice.

Many types of dogs cough when they get excited. Although coughing when dogs are excited is often harmless, it is a signal that something is wrong and needs immediate medical attention. While it sounds serious, this condition is usually not life-threatening, and the coughing should subside after your dog calms down.

To avoid panicking, simply observe what triggers your dog to cough and try to eliminate or minimize the excitement. If you find a trigger that keeps your dog from coughing, you can immediately address the problem.

Anxiety

A coughing dog is an obvious symptom of a serious medical problem. Fortunately, the majority of coughing can be caused by anxiety or a medical condition.

If your dog has difficulty breathing, he could have a stomach ulcer or an infection.

If your dog coughs blood, contact your vet immediately. However, some dogs cough because they are overly excited or stressed. In these cases, your dog might be suffering from canine infectious tracheobronchitis or kennel cough.

Parasites

While you cannot cure your pet for lungworms, you can treat your dog for the symptoms. There are two major goals of lungworm treatment: eliminating the parasite and controlling inflammation. Antiparasitic drugs are used to kill the parasite.

These medications can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months. The treatment for your pet will depend on the severity of your pet’s symptoms, but for moderate cases, medications may be enough. If the symptoms are severe, however, your dog may need to be hospitalized.

A coughing episode in a dog caused by parasites can be mild or severe, depending on the type of infection and the immune status of the animal.

Depending on the parasites and how many are present, symptoms may range from a slight increase in breathing rate to a severe coughing episode when the animal is stressed.

The symptoms depend on the parasites themselves, and may be detected through x-rays of the chest or upper airways. Your veterinarian can also check for signs of pneumonia or granulomatous disease.

Heart disease

Dogs with congestive heart failure often exhibit persistent cough. This is caused by the accumulation of fluid in the lungs. An enlarged heart pushes against the trachea, causing irritation and coughing.

Heart disease is often caused by age, obesity, and breed, with small breeds and older dogs most susceptible to heart valve problems. A murmur, or crackling sound, may also accompany coughing in dogs with heart disease.

A dog experiencing these symptoms might have a history of exercise intolerance. Additionally, they may cough even when they are at rest. They may also develop difficulty eating.

Some dogs with heart failure also exhibit restlessness or pacing. Their restlessness may be related to the discomfort caused by secondary symptoms of heart failure, such as coughing.

In some cases, the coughing may be a sign of an underlying condition such as infectious tracheobronchitis.

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