Cough

Overview:

Coughing is one of the best and most powerful reflexes in the body. It helps expel any foreign materials in the throat or lungs. It is a symptom that should never be ignored.

Causes:

Coughing in pets is generally due to either cardiac or respiratory disease. Cardiac disease includes heartworms, congestive heart failure, or cardiac tumors. Respiratory disease includes kennel cough, pneumonia, collapsing trachea, foreign bodies inhaled in trachea, tumors, bronchitis (dogs), and asthma (in cats).

Symptoms:

Cardiac disease usually exhibits a wet, productive cough. Kennel cough is very dry and can be so severe dogs will vomit afterwards. Collapsing trachea sounds like a “goose honk” and is more common in the smaller breed dogs. A cough more exaggerated at night can suggest heart failure or tracheal collapse.

Treatment:

Unless the coughing is due to a tumor or foreign body, medical management is the best route. There are many great medications available that are very effective at treating heart failure, and they are proven to extend your pet’s life. Heartworms are now treated with injections and the treatment is very effective. Kennel cough is easy to manage, as long as it is treated early with antibiotics and cough suppressants and pneumonia has not developed. Tracheal collapse can not be cured, even though previous surgeries were thought to be effective. These patients do quite well with cough suppressants and halter style collars. Their activity may need to be altered slightly. Bronchitis is managed with antibiotics, bronchodilators, and sometimes steroids.