Taking care of our pets means getting ready for every health problem that they might have. Dogs can be exposed to several diseases, such as mentioned in unknown but deadly dog diseases every dog owner should know. One of which is coughing. Coughing may indicate another health problem or it is a disease itself.
Have you ever heard your dog coughing? You must be worried then. As a dog owner, you have to know everything about it, including different types of coughs and their conditions.
The conditions range from mild to life-threatening. Most conditions are easy to treat, but some others are quite hard to treat.
Here are the eight common conditions that cause dogs to
cough. Check them out.
Kennel cough is the most common cause of coughing in dogs. Kennel cough is a catchall term for tracheobronchitis, inflammation and infection of the windpipe and the main lower airways.
Kennel cough is more common among younger dogs, but dogs of any ages can be affected as well. Dogs in group settings, whether at obedience training, dog day care or boarding, are higher risk of contracting the infection.
If you notice your dog is coughing after he has been at day care, then he might get a chance of kennel cough.
There are some symptoms of kennel cough, such as dry, hacking or honking cough, runny nose, sneezing, lack of appetite, lethargy, and low fever.
Kennel cough is also one of the causes your dog suddenly seems tired.
Another reason of a dog cough is a disease of the heart valves or hear muscles. This condition prevents a dog’s heart from pumping blood efficiently.
When parts of the heart enlarge and compress the major airways in the lungs, or when fluid backs up into the lungs, then cough appears.
The typical characteristic of dog’s cough caused by heart
disease, then the cough is soft and continuous. Its cough will likely be worse
at night, or when it is resting on its side. It may also be accompanied by a
decrease in the energy and stamina.
Pneumonia is another cause of cough in dogs. Pneumonia in dogs refers to the condition when the lungs are inflamed. It can be the result of bacteria, a pre-existing viral infection, such as canine influenza or distemper, swallowing difficulties, or certain metabolic disorders.
While your dog experiences pneumonia, his cough tends to sound moist and soft. If your dog has pneumonia, it will likely have a high fever, poor appetite, and low energy.
If this condition happens, then your dog will need veterinary treatment, lots of fluids and rest and he might even need to be hospitalized to recover.
The main suspect of this disease is mosquito, the one which spreads it. Your dog should be given monthly medication or injection that lasts for 6 or 12 months to prevent it. Find out more about worms in dogs including the treatment and prevention.
- Foreign Objects in the Throat
Dogs would naturally cough when they get some types of
objects stuck in their throat. If you notice your dog coughing, then a good way
to start is check their throat to see if anything foreign has become lodged in
the throat area.
Allergens are substances, such as dust, pollen, cigarette smoke or anything else in the environment. They can be perceived as an invader and overreacts to.
For example, if your dog is sensitive to dust or certain ingredients in their food, their immune system may react as it was being attacked by a foreign virus or bacteria. Similar to humans, your dog may start to cough.
Toy breeds are at an increased risk of tracheal collapse.
One of the symptoms of tracheal collapse is a honking cough that sounds like a
goose.
Similar to humans, dogs are also subject to contracting the flu. The flu in dogs is known as canine influenza. The respiratory infection is the main cause of the cough. It may last anywhere from 10 to 30 days.
Get to know more about facts and fake of virus expansion in animals body, including canine influenza.
If your dog is infected by canine influenza, then your vet will prescribe medicine as the way of treating it.
If you have other pets than the infected dog at home, then it is best to quarantine your sick dog to his own area as canine influenza is contagious between animals.
However, it is lucky for you as canine influenza cannot be transmitted both from and to humans.