Different forms of cough
Cough is a reflex and audible act that allows the expulsion of air, secretions or foreign bodies that clog the dog's respiratory system.
It can be acute or chronic if it has been evolving for at least 1 month, weak or rather sonorous, dry or productive (we also say oily) and manifest itself permanently, intermittently or in fifths.
What are the possible causes of coughing in dogs?
Cough is a symptom that can be present in various conditions, including:
- inflammation or irritation of the airways due to:
- allergies,
- inhalation of irritating gases,
- tumors,
- or inhalation of foreign bodies such as food particles or plant fragments. Certain pathologies, and in particular digestive pathologies causing vomiting or regurgitation, are known to favor the occurrence of pneumonia by false swallowing, responsible for coughing. This is the case of the megaesophagus or hiatal hernia, for example.
- an infection of the upper respiratory tract (pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis or tonsillitis) or deep (pneumonia) due to:
- bacteria,
- viruses like the one that causes distemper or those that cause kennel cough,
- mycoplasma,
- or parasites such as the respiratory strongyles responsible for angiostrongyliasis or the worms causing osteosis or heartworm disease,
- tracheal collapse - caused by the trachea collapsing on itself, which interferes with the normal passage of air during the dog's breathing. Small breed dogs such as Yorkshire Terriers, Lhasa Apso, Dwarf Spitz or even Toy Poodles are more frequently affected by this problem.
- heart disease and especially left heart failure.
My dog is coughing: what to do?
If your dog coughs, the only thing to do is to consult a veterinarian as soon as possible so that he can determine the origin of this cough and put in place an appropriate treatment.
In order to best guide your veterinarian, give him as much information as possible about the nature of the symptoms presented by your pet:
- Is it a dry or oily cough?
- Is she deaf, hissing or hoarse?
- Is it accompanied by other symptoms?
- How does it manifest?
- What is its frequency and intensity?
This will tell your veterinarian how long your dog has been coughing for, if he has been in contact with other animals and if the cough is triggered by a particular situation (during an effort physical, when the dog pulls on the leash, after eating, during excitement, etc.). Memorials can be very useful to the veterinarian and help him with the diagnosis. For example, a dog who coughs after staying in a kennel may be suffering from infectious tracheobronchitis, more commonly known as "kennel cough" . A small dog that has a dry cough only when excited or pulling on a leash may be suffering from tracheal collapse, etc.
During the consultation, your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical examination of your pet.In particular, he will examine his mouth and throat and listen to his heart and lungs with a stethoscope. This simple examination can already provide clues to the origin of your pet's cough before, possibly, carrying out additional examinations such as chest X-rays, a blood test or an endoscopy.