Why is my old dog coughing and gagging

Q: Why does my dog sound like he is coughing up a hairball?

If youve had a dog with kennel cough, youve heard the sound: a dry hack often followed by retching or gagging. Some people describe it as sounding like a cat hacking up a hairball. Kennel cough is usually mild and self-limiting, but sometimes it causes more severe illness.

If your dog suddenly starts to make gagging noises or cough, it can be alarming. Sometimes, it's just a single cough or gag, while other times it is chronic problem. If the symptoms are ignored and there is an underlying disease causing them, things can progress to a potentially life-threatening situation. Find out what causes a dog to cough or gag and what you can do to help prevent unnecessary issues from developing.

Table of Contents Show

Is It a Cough or a Gag?
Causes of Coughing or Gagging in Dogs
Respiratory Disease
Heart Disease
Tracheal Collapse
Diagnosing the Cause of the Cough or Gag
Treatment for Coughing or Gagging
How to Prevent Coughing or Gagging in Your Dog
Why does my dog keep coughing gagging like he's choking?
Why does my senior dog cough?
What can I give my dog for coughing and gagging?
Why does my dog sound like he is coughing up a hairball?

Is It a Cough or a Gag?

A cough and a gag are similar but not the same. A cough is a hacking noise that occurs when your dog is forcing air out of its throat and mouth. A gag is a retch that is similar to vomiting but nothing comes up and out, except maybe a little phlegm or mucous. Sometimes a dog will both cough and then gag at the end of the cough but either can happen on its own, too.

Causes of Coughing or Gagging in Dogs

Airborne debris, food, diseases, and more can result in your dog to develop a cough or to gag. Knowing what the cause of your dog's symptoms are may help you determine whether or not they are serious.

Food

Sometimes a dog will eat so quickly that its food will go down its trachea instead of its esophagus. This can cause a dog to cough or gag in an attempt to get the food out of the wrong tube. In this case, you could encourage your dog to eat more slowly and place food in a bowl that is at an appropriate height for the size of your dog.

Respiratory Disease

If a dog has a disease that affects its respiratory tract, coughing and/or gagging may occur. Inflammation and irritation of the trachea or lungs are the causes of these symptoms and until it is treated, the coughing and gagging will continue. Pneumonia, kennel cough, influenza, tracheitis, lungworm infestations, fungal infections, distemper and other diseases that cause respiratory tract issues will require veterinary attention.

Heart Disease

Certain types of heart disease can cause a dog to cough. Fluid accumulation in the lungs can lead to coughing and difficulty breathing. Heartworm disease can interfere with heart function and cause inflammation within the lungs. With these conditions, a dog is likely to cough and gag in an attempt to clear its airway, but that won't help. Only veterinary attention can get your dog some relief.

Nausea

If a dog is nauseated or experiencing gastrointestinal reflux, gagging may occur. Dogs with chronic reflux can develop a chronic cough.

Tracheal Collapse

Some dogs, especially small breeds, are prone to tracheal collapse. This occurs when the cartilage holding the trachea open weakens. Coughing may result due to decrease in the opening of the airway.

Diagnosing the Cause of the Cough or Gag

Your veterinarian will perform a full physical examination and obtain a patient history to see what may be causing your dog to cough or gag. X-rays, bloodwork, echocardiograms, and other tests may be needed to make a diagnosis depending on what your vet suspects the problem is.

Treatment for Coughing or Gagging

Depending on the reason for your dog's coughing or gagging, the treatment plan will vary. If your dog is diagnosed with a disease or illness that requires short-term treatment, medications including antibiotics, steroids, and cough suppressants are likely to be prescribed. Dogs diagnosed with heart disease may be prescribed life-long medications to manage the disease and symptoms. If the problem is so severe that your dog is not well oxygenated, oxygen therapy may be needed, too.

How to Prevent Coughing or Gagging in Your Dog

While you can't prevent all things that can cause your dog to cough or gag, there are still several things you can do. Keep your dog current on its vaccinations, on heartworm prevention, and away from dogs that are not fully vaccinated or sick. Additionally, regular check-ups with your veterinarian can help with prevention and early diagnosis so your vet can start treatment as soon as possible.

The hardest part of sharing your life with animals is watching them grow old. Our oldest dog Toni is now 12, and I fear she's on the downward slide.

Her arthritis is such that moving is a trial, and she'd rather sleep on her soft sling bed in the TV room. The golden fur on her muzzle is now mostly white and her eyes, never good, are now milky with cataracts.

Although she's a bit grumpy around other people now, and especially tough on other dogs, she's a cream-puff with me, folding up with joy at the mere mention of her name. When I'm petting her she closes her eyes and sighs.

Such are the simple joys of an old dog.

I keep her warm, keep her fed, keep her petted. And keep my eyes open for signs that something serious is starting to go wrong.

Like coughing.

When an old dog starts coughing, it's time to see the vet.

Coughing is a natural response to irritants in the airways, a rush of air that clears dirt, dust, fluids or anything else that blocks free breathing.

When it becomes chronic, however, a veterinarian must start piecing the puzzle together by determining the nature of the cough. Although I felt Toni's cough was age-related, I wanted all the questions answered.

If you've got a coughing pet, here's what your vet will be thinking about:

* Kennel cough: Characterized by a dry, bellowing cough, this illness is a contagious infection of the upper airways. Kennel cough is caused by several viral and bacterial agents, and the good news is that none are really serious. The treatment involves calming the airways so they can heal, a goal reached through the use of depressants to calm the coughing and environmental changes to settle the dog.

There are vaccines available to protect your pet from kennel cough, and it's a good idea to consider them before boarding your pet.

* Heart cough: A cough can be a symptom of heart disease, especially in older animals. An ailing heart will not pump blood properly, causing blood to stagnate in the lungs and fluid to leak into the airways, prompting the animal to cough in an effort to eliminate the accumulation.

The heart cough requires treatment of the heart, not the lungs or airway. With proper diet and medication, a heart problem can be successfully treated for years.

Such a cough can also mean a heartworm infestation, a danger that can be easily avoided by periodic checks for the parasite as well as the regular administration of a heartworm preventive.

* Asthmatic cough: Animals get allergies, too, and a seasonal dry cough could be the sign that your pet is among the afflicted.

Smoke, pollen or dust could trigger a bout of coughing, although there will usually be accompanying signs of allergy -- running eyes, for example. This kind of cough can be treated through environmental control and allergy medication.

* Foreign-body cough: A foxtail inhaled into the lungs can be a cause of the foreign-body cough. It's a cough that needs to be checked out, since even after the cough is gone, the foxtail may still remain.

* Collapsing trachea: The trachea, or windpipe, is held open by rings of cartilage, material that may be none too strong in some breeds, such as dachshunds and poodles. When the animal is excited, the rings may collapse, provoking a terrifying spell of coughing and gagging as the animal struggles to get air through a blocked passageway.

Although there are some medications that help to open up the airway, there's really no permanent cure for the problem. Help the animal through the bout by forcing yourself to be calm and working to calm your pet as well. The problem usually will disappear after the animal relaxes.

Toni's problem turned out to be not the heart trouble I feared, but an infection, easily treated and promptly cured. She sleeps more easily now and is a little more interested in an occasional short walk.

The end is still not too awfully far away, but for now we can all relax and enjoy our time together.

Why does my dog keep coughing gagging like he's choking?

Two very common things that can cause gagging in dogs are infectious problems and laryngeal paralysis. Kennel cough, which is a type of respiratory infection, is a common cause of dog gagging, which results in a harsh, goose-like cough, sometimes followed by a gag.

Why does my senior dog cough?

Coughing in an old dog can be a sign of an underlying health problem. Most coughs in old dogs are due to problems in the lungs or the heart. Infectious causes are possible, but often the cough is a result of aging and wear-and-tear on those organs.

What can I give my dog for coughing and gagging?

Honey can be a great home remedy for kennel cough as it can help soothe your dog's throat and minimize coughing. You can give your dog 1/2 tablespoon to 1 tablespoon of honey mixed with a little warm water in a bowl. This can be offered up to three times a day depending on how often your dog is coughing.

Why does my dog sound like he is coughing up a hairball?

If you've had a dog with kennel cough, you've heard the sound: a dry hack often followed by retching or gagging. Some people describe it as sounding like a cat hacking up a hairball. Kennel cough is usually mild and self-limiting, but sometimes it causes more severe illness.