Coughing is a common problem in dogs. A cough is caused by irritation of the throat, airways, or lungs. Coughing is just a symptom of a variety of diseases. It may require your vet to do a number of diagnostic tests in order to determine the cause of the cough.If you notice your dog coughing, it is important for you to make note of the frequency (e.g. frequent, chronic, or intermittent), the nature of the cough (e.g. dry, moist, hacking, weak, bubbly), when the cough occurs (i.e. during or after exercise, when excited, or at night), and if there is any phlegm or mucous that comes out when the dog coughs.
A moist sounding cough may indicate fluid in the lungs or airways, whereas a dry or harsh cough may indicate an infection or a foreign body, such as a grass seed, in the airways. You may also notice an increase in respiratory rate and effort or wheezing in addition to the cough. Dogs with respiratory disease may become exercise intolerant, or you may notice that the tongue has a bluish tinge to it.
So what can cause a cough? Bacterial and viral diseases, parasites, heart disease, upper airway problems, allergies, cigarette smoke, lung disease (e.g. bronchitis, pneumonia), and tumours can cause varying degrees of coughing. Even a dog that is excited and pulling on its collar will cough.
The age and breed of your dog influences what cause are most likely. Young animals usually develop a cough due to parasites, bacteria and viruses. If you worm your dog every 3 months and get your dog vaccinated yearly, this will help to minimise the risk of your dog picking up an infection. Middle-aged to elderly small breed dogs (e.g. Cavalier King Charles spaniels) develop heart disease due to leaky valves or a collapsing trachea. With heart disease, your dog may develop a cough. Quite often, this is the first sign that owners notice because the dog will cough mostly at night or when lying down. If your dog has a collapsing trachea, it may also cough more at night, but it will also cough when drinking water, and may make honking sound when it breathes. Middle-aged to elderly large breed dogs (e.g. Labradors) usually cough due to paralysis of the larynx, which is at the back of the throat. These dogs may cough during or shortly after eating. With this disease, food may pass into the trachea and into the lungs, causing pneumonia. Middle aged and older dogs of all sizes are also prone to lung tumours.
If you notice your dog coughing, you should bring it to your vet immediately. Your vet will do a physical examination, which will include listening to the heart and lungs. Quite often, this is not enough to diagnose the reason for the cough. Your dog may have a blood sample taken to see how the organs are functioning. An x-ray is an excellent way for your vet to see the trachea, heart and lungs. If your dog has heart disease, an ultrasound scan of its heart may be performed. This will enable your vet to see how the heart valves are functioning. Sometimes a procedure called bronchoscopy is performed. This is essentially a camera that is put down the throat to look at the larger airways and take samples or even to remove foreign bodies.
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