What Causes Dogs to Cough

Coughing is a common symptom in dogs that can indicate a variety of health issues, ranging from mild irritations to more serious conditions. Understanding what causes dogs to cough is key to ensuring your pet gets the care they need. This guide will cover the most common reasons dogs cough, how to recognize different types of coughs, and when it’s time to see a vet.

Why Do Dogs Cough?

Coughing is the body’s natural reflex to clear the airways of irritants or foreign substances. Just like in humans, a dog’s cough can be caused by a wide variety of factors. Coughing can occur due to something as simple as a mild throat irritation or as serious as a heart condition. It’s important to observe the nature of your dog’s cough—whether it’s dry or wet, frequent or occasional—as this can help pinpoint the underlying cause.

What Causes Dogs to Cough?

Dog coughing can be caused by a variety of reasons, including but not limited to the following.

Respiratory infections

Such as kennel cough, which is a highly contagious disease usually caused by Bordetella or other similar viruses or bacteria. 

Other Symptoms of Tracheal Collapse

1. Abnormal breath sounds, such as goiters.
2. Exercise intolerance, which means that the dog tends to get fatigued during exercise.
3. Difficulty breathing, which in severe cases can lead to hypoxia and shock in dogs.
4. Coughing that worsens during excitement, exercise, or neck compression.
5. Open mouth while breathing, especially in severe cases of collapse.
6. Cyanosis and coma, these symptoms are usually seen when tracheal collapse is severe.
7. Systemic symptoms such as weight loss, lack of appetite, and depression, which, although less common than respiratory symptoms, may also occur. 

Preventive Measures for Respiratory Diseases

1. Maintain indoor ventilation: As the temperature changes a lot in spring, you should keep indoor air circulating to reduce the breeding of bacteria and viruses.
2. Pay attention to warmth: There is a big difference in temperature between day and night in spring, so you should increase or decrease the clothing for your dog according to the weather changes, especially for puppies and old dogs.
3. Regular deworming: Spring is the season when parasites are active. Regular deworming can reduce skin diseases and other health problems caused by parasites.
4. Vaccinations: Make sure your dog's vaccinations are up-to-date to increase his or her resistance to springtime's high incidence of infectious diseases.
5. Cleaning and disinfecting: Regularly clean your dog's living environment and disinfect it with a pet-friendly environmental disinfectant to reduce the presence of pathogens.
6. Balanced Nutrition: Provide nutritionally balanced food to boost your dog's immunity and help it better resist disease.
7. Avoid contact with sources of disease: Reduce your dog's contact with other animals that may be carrying the disease, especially when outdoors.
8. Monitor health: closely observe your dog's behavior and health, and seek medical attention if symptoms such as coughing and difficulty breathing occur. 

Heart disease

Such as congenital heart disease and heartworm infections, heart problems can lead to poor circulation, which in turn can cause coughing. Coughing due to heart disease in dogs is caused by a heart malfunction that results in impaired circulation, which in turn causes fluid buildup in the lungs or tracheal compression. This cough is usually more pronounced when the dog is quiet, especially at night or early in the morning. Treating cough due to heart disease usually requires a combination of medications, including the use of cardiac medications, diuretics, vasodilators, and ACE inhibitors. In some cases, antibiotics may also be needed to treat secondary respiratory infections. 

Structural defects in the trachea

such as collapsed trachea, which is a common chronic condition in small dogs and may lead to respiratory distress and coughing.

Allergic reactions

Inhalation of allergens or skin contact with allergens may cause coughing. 

Common Allergens

• Inhalant allergens: such as pollen, dust, mold, tobacco smoke, perfume, etc. These allergens can enter your dog's body through the respiratory tract and trigger allergy symptoms.
• Ingested allergens: common food allergens include beef, dairy products, wheat, eggs, chicken, lamb, soy, pork, etc. Dogs may have an allergic reaction after ingesting these foods.
• Contact allergens: such as certain detergents, insect repellents, plants (e.g., poisonous kudzu), etc. Dogs may develop skin allergic reactions after exposure to these substances.
• Drug allergies: dogs may have an allergic reaction to certain drugs, such as antibiotics and painkillers. 

Foreign body inhalation

Dogs may accidentally inhale small objects, such as bone fragments or toys, which irritate the airways causing coughing. 

Tumors

Tumors in the chest cavity, such as lung cancer, may also cause chronic coughing. 

Environmental factors

Irritants such as cold air, smoke, and dust may cause coughing. 

Mitigation Measures

• Reduce the amount of time your dog spends in polluted environments and avoid walking your dog outside, especially during foggy weather.
• Use an air purifier in your home to reduce pollutants in the indoor air.
• Keep your house clean and clean it regularly to minimize the accumulation of dust and other allergens.
• Avoid cleaning products that may release harmful chemicals and choose pet-safe alternatives. 

If your dog develops a persistent cough or other related symptoms, you should take him or her to the doctor for diagnosis and treatment. 

How to Know if Your Dog's Cough is Caused by a Viral or Bacterial Infection?

Distinguishing whether your dog's cough is caused by a viral or bacterial infection can be done by observing the symptoms, performing blood tests, and using your veterinarian's clinical judgment. Here are some ways to differentiate.

Symptom Observation

Viral infections usually cause symptoms such as sneezing, coughing up thin sputum, nasal congestion (or runny nose), and low-grade fever. Coughing phlegm in viral colds is usually thinner and the tongue is darker pink in color. 
Bacterial infections, on the other hand, may cause a cough with thick yellow sputum, yellow snot, higher fever, and a tongue that is a lighter pink color. Cough phlegm from bacterial colds is usually thicker. 

Blood Tests

Blood tests allow you to observe changes in the white blood cell count and neutrophil ratio. In bacterial infections, the white blood cell count is usually elevated and the proportion of neutrophils increases, whereas in viral infections, the white blood cell count may not be elevated or may be only mildly elevated, and the proportion of lymphocytes may be elevated. 

Veterinary judgment

Your veterinarian may be able to determine the cause of the cough based on your dog's specific symptoms, blood test results, and any further tests that may be needed (such as a chest x-ray). In some cases, bacterial cultures and drug sensitivity tests may also be needed to determine the specific bacterial species and sensitive antibiotics. 

If your dog is experiencing symptoms of coughing, it is recommended that he be taken to a veterinary clinic and examined promptly in order to receive an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

What to Do When Your Dog Coughs from Allergies

When your dog is coughing due to allergies, you should take the following steps.

• Avoid allergens

First, try to identify and avoid substances that may be causing the allergy, which may include food, pollen in the environment, dust, mold, etc. 

• Medication

Under the guidance of your veterinarian, anti-allergy medications (e.g., chlorpheniramine maleate), anti-inflammatory medications (e.g., glucocorticoids), and anti-itch medications (e.g., Epocrine) may be needed to relieve symptoms. 

• Immunotherapy

For some dogs, immunotherapy, which involves increasing the tolerance of the immune system by gradually increasing the dose of the allergen, may be considered. 

• Environmental management

Keep indoor air fresh, vacuum and clean regularly to minimize accumulation of allergens. 

• Skin Care

Keep your dog's skin clean and dry, avoid excessive bathing and the use of harsh detergents. 

• Nutritional Supplementation

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Supplementation with nutrients such as Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E can help reduce skin sensitivity and strengthen the skin barrier. 

• Prompt medical attention

If your dog's coughing symptoms are severe or persistently unrelieved, you should take him to the doctor promptly so that your veterinarian can make a professional diagnosis and treatment. 

Remember, you should always consult your veterinarian before using any medication or treatment to ensure that the treatment plan is appropriate for your dog's specific situation.

How to Treat Cough in Dogs?

The treatment for a dog's cough needs to be determined by the cause of the cough.

Use of antibiotics

If the cough is caused by a bacterial infection, your veterinarian may prescribe antibiotic treatment. 

Use of antiviral medication

For viral infections, such as canine distemper, antiviral medications may be necessary.

Use of cough suppressants

For dry or wet coughs, cough suppressant medication may be used to relieve symptoms.

Nebulizing treatment

For conditions such as bronchitis or pneumonia, nebulization therapy can help relieve respiratory inflammation and coughing. 

Supportive Treatment

Includes providing adequate hydration, easily digestible food and keeping the air in the room moist. 

When treating your dog's cough, follow your veterinarian's instructions and tailor your treatment plan to your dog's specific symptoms and health condition. If the cough persists or is accompanied by other serious symptoms, take your dog to the doctor promptly. 

How to Soothe a Dog's Cough?

When your dog develops a cough, as a pet owner you can take the following steps to calm your dog and help relieve the coughing symptoms.

• Keep the environment clean

Ensure that your dog's living environment is clean and tidy to avoid irritation of the respiratory tract caused by dust, hair and other foreign objects. 

• Provide the right amount of humidity

Using a humidifier to increase the humidity in the room will help relieve dryness and irritation of the airways. 

• Avoid fumes and irritants

Do not expose your dog to substances that may irritate the respiratory tract, such as smoke, perfumes, and detergents. 

• Maintain moderate exercise

Proper exercise can boost your dog's immune system, but you should avoid over-exercising when coughing symptoms are severe. 

• Provide plenty of water

Encourage your dog to drink plenty of water to help dilute phlegm and promote recovery. 

• Adjust the diet

Provide nutritionally balanced and easy-to-digest food, avoid greasy and irritating food. 

• Soothe your dog

Keep your dog quiet when he is coughing and avoid over-excitement or exercise which may aggravate the coughing symptoms.
 
If your dog's cough persists or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as difficulty in breathing and loss of appetite, you should bring him to the doctor in time for diagnosis and treatment by a professional veterinarian. Do not give cough suppressants or other medications to your dog before the cause of the cough is clear, so as not to aggravate the condition or produce side effects. 

What Foods to Prepare for Your Dog to Help Relieve Cough Symptoms?

Consider the following when preparing food for your dog that will help relieve coughing symptoms.

• Provide plenty of water

Ensure that your dog has clean drinking water, which helps to dilute and flush out respiratory secretions. 

• Eat a light diet

Avoid spicy and greasy foods that may irritate your dog's respiratory system. 

• Increase hydration and vitamin C

Fresh strawberry juice can be offered to your dog as it is rich in vitamin C, which helps to boost your dog's immunity and relieve coughing symptoms. 

• Herbal Teas

Certain herbal teas, such as frangipani tea, are helpful in relieving the symptoms of coughing in dogs. 

• Foods rich in vitamins and minerals

Foods such as carrots, apples and sorbets are not only highly nutritious, but also help to boost your dog's immune system and promote digestion. 

• High quality protein

Moderate amounts of beef and chicken can provide protein that will help your dog's body recover and maintain its immune system. 

When adjusting your dog's diet, you should be aware of individual differences and consult your veterinarian if necessary to ensure that the food is appropriate for your dog's specific health condition. Also, dietary adjustments should be made as part of a comprehensive treatment plan in conjunction with other therapeutic measures recommended by the veterinarian.

Why Should I Not Self-Administer Human Cough Medicine to My Dog?

The main reasons why you should not self-administer human cough medication to your dog include the following.

• Differences in drug composition and dosage

The composition and dosage of human medications are formulated according to the physiological structure and metabolic characteristics of the human body, while the physiological structure of dogs is significantly different from that of humans, which may lead to different pharmacological and toxicological effects in the dog's body, or even completely opposite. 

• Potential toxicity and side effects

Certain drug ingredients that are relatively safe for humans may be toxic to dogs and may cause serious health problems such as acute liver injury, anemia, gastric ulcers, and may even be fatal. 

• Legal Requirements

The Regulations on the Administration of Veterinary Drugs clearly prohibit the use of human drugs on animals to ensure the health and safety of animals. 

• Individual differences

Even for the same drug, different dogs' physique and body weight will affect the safe dosage and effect of the drug. Casual use of human drugs may lead to improper dosage of the drug and increase the risk of adverse reactions. 

Therefore, when your dog develops a cough or other health problems, you should consult your veterinarian and have a professional prescribe the appropriate medication and treatment plan for your dog's specific condition. Using human medications on your dog on your own may not only be ineffective, but may also jeopardize your dog's life.

FAQs

Conclusion 

Coughing in dogs can be caused by a variety of factors, from minor irritations to serious medical conditions like kennel cough, heart disease, or tracheal collapse. By paying attention to the type of cough and any accompanying symptoms, you can determine whether your dog needs veterinary attention. Early diagnosis and treatment are key to resolving the underlying issue and keeping your dog healthy.