Although coughs and retching in dogs do not have to occur at the same time, there are times when we may notice that our dog has a dry cough and retching. In this article we are going to talk about these clinical signs and their relationship. In addition, we will review the most common causes that are at the origin of retching cough. We will also pay attention to the necessary treatment and measures we can take at home to help our dog recover.
Read on, find out why your dog has a dry cough and retching, what you can give him, what the treatment is and whether or not there are home remedies.
Dry cough in dogs
Coughing is a reflex that is triggered after irritation in the respiratory tract. It is the body’s attempt to get rid of the discomfort it feels in that area, expelling it to the outside. The cough is said to be self-perpetuating because each access dries out the mucous membranes, so that the entire respiratory tract becomes irritated, causing even more coughing.
There are different types of coughs in dogs, such as deep, dry, harsh, wet, productive, sharp, weak, prolonged, squawking, etc. Also, the cough can be chronic or acute. The characteristics of the cough help determine the cause that originated it.
Dry cough is often associated with a well-known illness called kennel cough, acute tracheobronchitis, or canine respiratory complex, which is caused by various viruses and the bacteria Bordetella bronchiseptica. If your dog has a dry cough and retching, he could be suffering from this pathology, but he could also suffer from pharyngitis, which in dogs is associated with different diseases, such as infections in the mouth, in the respiratory system or systemic, such as parvovirus or the distemper.
Another example of the origin of dry cough is chronic bronchitis, with the difference that the cough can be productive in some specimens. But not all coughs are due to respiratory conditions, since a dry cough after exercising or more intense at night can indicate a disease of one of the valves of the heart.
What are gags in dogs?
Retching in dogs is very evident. They are usually accompanied by hyper salivation and repeated swallowing movements and followed by vomiting, although this does not always occur. Although retching is usually associated with digestive problems, it is possible that our dog has a dry cough and retching, since, after a strong fit of coughing, these can be triggered, as well as vomiting.
Why does my dog have a dry cough and gagging?
If our dog has a dry cough and retching, the first thing to be clear about is that there is more than one because that can trigger this condition. The most prominent are the following:
- Infections in the respiratory tract, such as kennel cough, but also distemper.
- Inhalation of substances with irritating effects, such as smoke.
- Congestive heart failure.
- Chronic Bronchitis.
- Tumors in the respiratory tract.
- Use of very tight collars.
- Excessive barking
- Parasites such as filaria or some intestinal worms.
- Presence of foreign bodies in the throat, esophagus, or lungs.
My dog coughs and seems to be choking
If your dog has a cough and seems to be choking, it is most likely that it is foreign bodies in the throat that prevent him from taking in air normally and, therefore, the body tries to expel them. It is possible that he has something stuck in his throat that he cannot remove on his own, so we recommend you go to the vet as soon as possible to check that this is the problem and proceed to remove the foreign body.
The aforementioned causes could also cause your dog to cough a lot and choke, which is why it is so important to visit a specialist.
What do I give my dog that has a dry cough and gagging? – Treatment
Unless we are clear about the cause of the cough, for example, the presence of smoke, in which case we would have to eliminate the trigger, or a collar that is too tight that we would only have to loosen, if your dog has a dry cough and retching you should contact the vet. Above all, do not use cough suppressants on your own? Only this professional can examine the dog and perform the relevant tests to locate the cause. A chest X-ray or, in chronic cases, intratracheal lavage may be necessary. And it is very important to reach the diagnosis, since the treatment will depend on it.
For example, when faced with a foreign body, it may be necessary to remove it, while an infection such as kennel cough will require the administration of drugs such as antibiotics to prevent opportunistic bacterial infections. This disease can be serious in some specimens, which will need to be admitted to the clinic to receive intensive treatment to help them breathe with a certain normality. In addition, the management of dogs with acute tracheobronchitis implies keeping them in rooms isolated from other congeners, with a comfortable temperature, well ventilated and, if possible, with a humidifier. The dog also has to do moderate exercise every day. It should be noted that there is a vaccine against this disease.
On the other hand, when the cough is due to a heart problem, it is necessary to establish a veterinary follow-up, feed the dog a special diet, control exercise and medicate depending on the symptoms that it presents.
My Dog Has a Dry Cough and Gagging – Home Remedies
When we hear that our dog has a dry cough and gagging, our normal reaction is to give him something to make the episode go away. But, as we have seen, there are multiple causes that can explain this clinical picture. Therefore, before giving anything, you must consult with the veterinarian. Coughing and retching are telling us that something is wrong and it is not enough just to eliminate the symptom. Before thinking about home remedies, you must have a diagnosis.
Once the diagnosis is obtained and the treatment started, in addition to following the veterinarian’s instructions, we can apply the following home remedies for a dog with a cough and retching:
- Maintain good hydration to prevent the airways from drying out.
- Avoid any potential irritants such as smoke, aerosols, pollution, dust, etc.
- Use a humidifier or take advantage of the steam that is generated in the bathroom while you shower with hot water.
- Do not allow excessive physical activity.
- Walking it with a harness better than with a collar.
If you do not have a humidifier, steam baths are especially recommended to clear the airways and favor the treatment that the dog with a cough and gagging should follow. Likewise, following a balanced and preferably soft diet to favor the passage of food through the digestive system is more than recommended. For this, it will also be the veterinarian who stipulates the best diet depending on the cause that is causing these symptoms.
