Why is My Dog Coughing?
EducationWhy is My Dog Coughing?
A dogs cough might be more serious than you think. If your dog is coughing regularly you need to see a veterinarian to diagnose the problem. This article includes the most common causes of coughing in dogs.
Allergies
Although many people jump to the conclusion that a dog is coughing due to allergies, most dogs experience allergies as itchy spots on their skin, often called “hot spots”. While sneezing, and coughing can be from allergies, or air borne irritants (cigarette smoke), this is not often the cause when coughing continues for an extended period of time, and occurs both indoors and out.
Kennel Cough
This is a dry cough that usually lasts for two weeks. It can occur at any time but is more often seen in dogs that are exposed to many dogs, such as when at a boarding or kennel facility. There is a vaccine that helps protect against this problem, but is not a 100% guarantee that it will not be a problem. Talk to a veterinarian about the Bordatella vaccination. Dogs with kennel cough may otherwise appear healthy and active.
Distemper
Distemper is more common in puppies (even if vaccinated) but can also occur in older unvaccinated dogs. The key to watch for is that in addition to coughing the dog generally looks and/or acts sick. They may have a discharge, and appear to have a human cold (although human colds are not transferable to dogs, and visa versa). Distemper can be fatal so a trip to the veterinarian should happen as soon as this is suspected, particularly if the animal is not vaccinated, or very young. Keep suspected carriers away from other pets.
Heatworm
This is a very common problem in dogs that are not on proper parasite control measures in areas where heartworm is known. The life cycle of the parasite involved is complicated. To simplify things it enters the dogs blood stream following a mosquito bite. The larva move into the dogs heart and when enough gather, and are large enough, they cause the dog to cough during exercise.
It should be noted that with heartworms by the time the dog is coughing the numbers of worms are usually dangerously high. If not treated they will cause the dogs heart to fail. In the mean time the worms are breeding and their eggs will be sucked up by a mosquito to carry the parasites to other dogs. Prevention is the best measure as treatment is expensive and not without its own risks.
Roundworms
Roundworms can also make a dog cough. Generally an observant owner can spot the problem because at some point the dog may vomit some worms up. As with heartworm, prevention is always the best solution, although the treatment of roundworm is not as risky.
Internal Problems
Particularly in older dogs a growth in their throat may cause them to cough, it could indicate a cancer in this area or their lungs. Some dogs may spit up blood.
Tuberculosis is transferable from people to dogs. This is a bacterial infection that may appear as a moist cough accompanied by the dog spitting up small amounts of blood.
Air Borne Irritants
As mentioned dogs can be bothered by things like cigarette smoke. The dog can be allergic or simply have a tickle that results in a cough. Household chemicals, and those used on the lawn, should also be considered as sources of irritation. Even pollen, mold, and dust can lead to coughing in dogs. The owner must try to isolate the dog from the irritant for a period of days to see if the coughing continues and if so, they should take the dog to a veterinarian.
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