Coughing is a natural response to irritation or abnormality in the airway.
A cough is the body’s way of clearing the airway. When the effort is successful, the coughing stops. However, if the problem persists, so does the cough. Which also tells you when you should be concerned.
Our dogs often cough a few times when drinking from a bottle and not getting the water down quite right. It seems to me that it happens when they take the water from the top of the tongue, rather than lapping normally. (With a dog drinking normally, the tongue folds under to bring the water into the mouth)
Our guys might also cough when they try to eat and bark simultaneously—figures. Daughter’s Chi’s cough when they pull on their leashes—you wouldn’t believe how much pull can such a little dog generate.
A few coughs like that don’t concern me much.
Jasmine’s persistent cough
Once Jasmine started coughing after a bark-off session with a new dog next door.
Her rules were simple. Come out and meet up with me when I’m walking outside, or come through the front door like everybody else. Sneaking around the yard is not proper behavior, and you’ll get told. So he got told.
At first, we thought she had irritated her throat with all that barking. But the day went on, and the cough wasn’t going away. So we ended up at the vet’s that afternoon.
It turned out that her lymph nodes were swollen, and she was running a bit of a fever. The vet checked her out and said that it’s either lymphoma or an infection and that we should try antibiotics first to see what happens.
Uh-huh? You don’t just spring words like lymphoma at people at random! And other than the coughing, there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with her?!
However, trying the antibiotics first made sense to us, so we did that. Fortunately, the cough cleared right up quickly, and that was the end of that.
When to see a vet
Persistent or severe cough is a reason for concern and requires medical attention. Coughing accompanied by labored breathing, lethargy, or bloody sputum is a potential emergency and should be. It’s all about being able to assess the seriousness of the situation.
Indication your dog’s coughing in an emergency:
- persistent cough
- difficulty breathing
- coughing to the point of vomiting
- coughing up blood
As well as, coughing is an emergency when your dog also has other serious symptoms such as:
- lethargy
- loss of appetite
- depression
In any such scenario, seek a veterinarian immediately.
Potential causes of coughing in dogs
There is quite a long list of possible reasons why your dog might be coughing:
- respiratory infections (bacterial, viral or fungal)
- inflammatory or immune conditions (e.g., chronic bronchitis or allergies)
- parasites
- heart disease
- tracheal collapse
- foreign bodies (e.g., inhaled grass seed or chunks of food)
- cancer
- fluid accumulation in or around the lungs including blood, pus, or chyle (a fatty fluid)
- trauma
Respiratory infections
When considering a respiratory infection, keep in mind that the irritating invaders can be:
- viruses
- bacteria
- fungi
- parasites
They can infect any part of the respiratory tract.
Kennel cough
Kennel cough is the most common infectious cause of coughing.
It is caused by viral and/or bacterial infections (sometimes in combination). This results in a deep, dry, hacking cough that sometimes ends with a gagging sound. Kennel cough often gets worse with exercise or excitement.
If your dog has been recently boarded, groomed, visited a daycare or other places with many other dogs, kennel cough is a most likely suspect.
Further information: Kennel Cough in Dogs
In contrast, a high, weak gagging cough suggests pharyngitis and a sore throat. If your dog is coughing from tonsillitis, they may swallow a lot and lick their lips.
Canine influenza
Yes, dogs can get the flu too. Just like human flu, it is a highly contagious viral infection, and outbreaks are not uncommon. Along with coughing, symptoms of dog flu include:
- runny nose
- fever
- lethargy
- eye discharge
- loss of appetite
Further information: Canine Influenza (Flu)
Fungal infections
Fungal infections can be the worst of them all. I have seen x-rays of a dog whose lungs looked as if they were ravaged by cancer.
Your dog can pick up fungal spores from the dirt or through the air.
Blastomycosis, for example, is a systemic fungal infection. While it can go after the eyes, skin, and bones, the lungs usually get hit the hardest.
Symptoms of blastomycosis include:
- fever
- coughing
- difficulty breathing
- eye inflammation and discharge
- skin lesions
- loss of appetite
Further information: Fungal Infection (Blastomycosis) in Dogs
Heartworm infection
Heartworms are mosquito-borne parasites that can damage both the heart and the artery carrying blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation.
Symptoms of heartworm disease include:
- coughing
- exercise intolerance
- hemorrhage from the nose
- pneumonia
- right-sided heart failure
- cardiac arrhythmia, which may lead to sudden death in some cases
Heartworm disease is a potentially fatal condition resulting in severe lung disease, heart failure, organ damage, and death.
Further information: Canine Heartworm Infection: Don’t Let Heartworm Become A Heartbreak!
Lungworm infection
Lungworm infection is a lesser-known parasitic infection in dogs. It is a relatively new problem in the US and Canada. It is what it sounds like—a parasitic worm infection in the lungs.
As you imagine, cough is a prominent symptom. Other symptoms depend on the severity of the infection and include:
- shortness of breath
- sneezing
- wheezing
- exercise intolerance
Further information: Lungworm Infections in Dogs
Canine distemper
Canine distemper starts with a runny nose and eyes, fever, lack of appetite, and, you guessed it, coughing But it is seen almost exclusively in young dogs that are not up to date on their vaccines.
Further information: Canine Distemper Virus
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs and airways. It leads to difficulty breathing and results in oxygen deprivation.
Pneumonia is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. Bacterial pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs in response to a bacterial infection.
Aspiration pneumonia results from inhalation of foreign matter, particularly gastric contents. With pneumonia, cough is accompanied by fever, depression, and rapid breathing. The cough is often moist and bubbling.
Symptoms of pneumonia include:
- fever
- coughing
- difficulty breathing
- lethargy
- exercise intolerance
Further information: Pneumonia in Dogs
Bronchitis
Bronchitis is characterized by inflammation of the bronchi or smaller airways. It can be acute or chronic. Underlying causes include bacterial infections, allergies, parasites, or chronic inhalation of airway irritants.
The cause might be long gone in chronic bronchitis, and it is hard to identify.
To be diagnosed with chronic bronchitis, a dog has to have been coughing for two months or longer, and other possible causes of coughing need to be ruled out. The typical cough is harsh and dry, followed by retching and gagging. If left unchecked, it can lead to irreversible damage to the airways.
Symptoms include:
- coughing
- wheezing
- difficulty breathing
Further information: Chronic Bronchitis: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Heart disease
Coughing is a common symptom of severe heart disease.
When the heart cannot pump blood properly, it leads to a buildup of fluid in the lungs and surrounding tissues. As a result, the most common symptom of congestive heart failure is persistent coughing and difficulty breathing.
The coughing is likely to be the worst at night and during rest.
Other conditions can cause pleural effusion, such as liver disease, kidney failure, pancreatitis, lung tumors, and it can be a complication of bacterial pneumonia. In addition, coughing is accompanied by rapid, labored breathing, and your dog’s mucous membranes may appear blue.
A helpful test is to count your dog’s respiratory rate while sleeping. As a rule of thumb, If it is greater than 30 breaths/min there is pulmonary edema present.
Further information: Congestive Heart Failure in Dogs
Collapsing trachea
Trachea (windpipe) is the tube that carries air from the nose to the lungs. It consists of cartilage rings covered by muscle. It is meant to be a sturdy structure.
When the cartilage rings weaken, they can no longer hold their shape which results in air obstruction. It is quite obvious why that would make your dog cough.
A dog with a collapsing trachea will have a characteristic goose-honk cough.
Further information: Tracheal Collapse in Dogs
GOLPP (Laryngeal paralysis)
Geriatric onset laryngeal paralysis polyneuropathy (GOLPP), previously known as laryngeal paralysis can also have coughing as one of its symptoms.
One of the first signs of GOLPP is the dysfunction of the voice box (larynx). The primary function of the larynx is to let air but not food down into the lungs. When the muscles that control it lose their ability to function normally, it results in difficulty breathing.
Symptoms of GOLPP include:
- voice change
- noisy breathing (particularly when breathing in)
- shortness of breath
- coughing
Further information: Laryngeal Paralysis in Dogs
Foreign bodies
The symptoms of respiratory foreign bodies depend on what part of the airways is obstructed. Bronchial or tracheal foreign bodies can have the following symptoms:
- coughing
- difficulty breathing or respiratory distress
- wheezing
- retching
Further information: Respiratory Foreign Body in Dogs
Cancer
As much as we hate to think about it, cancer can also cause coughing, particularly in middle-aged to older dogs.
Tumors may originate in the lungs (primary lung cancer) or spread (metastasize) from other parts of the body. Lymph nodes in the chest may enlarge with lymphoma and press on a dog’s airways causing coughing. These dogs are lethargic, losing weight, and show other warning signs of a major problem.
Can you see now, why you need to see a vet if your dog has a severe or persistent cough?
Related articles:
Is Coughing an Emergency?
Further reading:
Why is My Dog Coughing? Common Causes and Treatment Options