Why Is My Dog Coughing? Common Causes and When To Call a Vet

Coughing has many underlying conditions, ranging from mild to severe.  

And although any dog can be affected by coughing, certain dogs are at higher risk, including:  

• Dogs with heart conditions  
• Dogs with lung conditions  
• Dogs with weaker immune systems  
• Seniors  
• Puppies  

Here are the top reasons your dog might have a little—or big—hack.  

Dogs with respiratory infections, such as kennel cough or pneumonia, may cough due to bacteria or viruses and the resulting inflammation.  

When inflammation occurs, the blood vessels become leaky and fluid can move into the lungs, which a dog tries to expel by coughing.  

Environmental allergens can trigger an allergic reaction in your dog’s airways, which leads to inflammation and coughing. This includes:  

• Pollen  
• Grass  

Asthma, a long-term inflammation and narrowing of the airways, can also cause a persistent cough as airflow is obstructed, making breathing more difficult.  

Asthma develops after exposure to substances, such as allergens or chemicals, that irritate and inflame the airways.  

Lung cancer or cancer of the airways can lead to coughing in dogs.  

In severe cases, a dog may cough blood-tinged fluid.  

However, keep in mind that there are other, more common, causes of coughing—don’t jump to conclusions before seeing your vet.  

This is a common condition in small-breed dogs, in which airflow is obstructed because the cartilage surrounding the trachea becomes weak. As a result, part of the trachea becomes flattened and less air is able to move through the windpipe.  

It leads to a characteristic cough that often sounds like a honk, especially when pressure is put on the neck during leashed walks. Dogs with tracheal collapse should always wear a harness, not a collar, to avoid extra pressure on the trachea.  

Dogs with heart disease have enlarged hearts and fluid buildup in their lungs, which leads to a persistent, wet cough.  

Some puppies are born with congenital heart defects, which can cause persistent coughing.  

If a dog accidentally swallows a piece of a bone or other foreign object, it can become stuck in their throat or airway.  

To expel it, your dog may cough repeatedly.  

Dogs with internal parasites, such as lungworms or heartworms, can experience coughing due to airway inflammation.  

Lungworms cause irritation of the airways, which creates mucus that dogs attempt to remove by coughing. Heartworms cause damage to the pulmonary vessels, which leads to a persistent cough.  

Dogs who have ingested toxins, such as rodenticides, can develop internal bleeding due to blood clotting issues. That bleeding can lead to a cough when dogs try to breathe more effectively and expel anything that has pooled in their lungs.  

You may notice blood-tinged fluid from their nose or mouth.   

Dog coughs can sound different depending on what’s causing them.  

Describing the sound can help your veterinarian better understand what might be going on.  

• Dry, hacking cough: This type of cough is common in dogs with kennel cough; it sounds like raspy breathing. It can also indicate airway inflammation or allergies. 
• Honking cough: Often described as a “goose honk,” this cough is common with tracheal collapse.  
• Wet cough: Dogs with a wet cough often sound like they are trying to clear their throat. You may hear a gurgling noise. This coughing occurs with respiratory infections, asthma, or heart disease.  
• Gagging cough: This sounds like retching or like your dog has something stuck in their throat. It may indicate underlying heart disease due to fluid buildup or a trapped foreign object.  
• Wheezing cough: This can sound like your dog is having trouble catching their breath, and the cough may be high-pitched. Allergies, inflammation, and infection are common causes.  

If your dog is coughing, it’s a good idea to get a vet’s opinion—but not every cough requires an emergency visit. Here’s when to call your vet and when to head straight to an emergency clinic. 

If you notice any of the following signs, call your vet for an appointment. 

• Repeated gagging or pawing at the mouth  
• Coughing and unable to settle  
• Persistent or severe coughing with other symptoms, such as lethargy or decreased appetite 
• Coughing that leads to vomiting 

If your dog is experiencing any of the following symptoms, bring them to an emergency vet immediately as these symptoms are life-threatening.  

• Trouble breathing  
• Pale, blue, or gray gums  
• Collapse or severe weakness  
• Coughing up blood 
• Sudden severe cough after chewing a toy, bone, or treat  

Your vet will start with a physical exam to check your dog’s overall health and listen closely to their heart and lungs for any unusual sounds.  

Bring a short video if you happen to catch your dog coughing—it will help your vet understand the kind of cough you’re talking about.  

Your vet may also use the following diagnostics:  

• Blood work: A small sample of blood will be checked for signs of infection, inflammation, or abnormal clotting, which can all contribute to coughing. This test can also be used to check for heartworm disease.  
• Urinalysis: While this test does not diagnose coughing, it can help a vet see the overall health of your dog by looking for signs of infection or abnormal organ functioning. 
• Imaging: X-rays can identify signs of heart disease, lung infections, airway inflammation, or tracheal collapse.  
• Bronchoscopy: This test is done under sedation and involves placing a thin tube into your dog’s mouth and throat to check the airways for any abnormalities.  
• Fecal tests: A fecal float or Baermann test can be used to diagnose lungworm infections in dogs. Infected dogs cough up lungworms and then swallow them before passing them in stool, which is why these tests are used for detection. 

To treat coughing in dogs, your veterinarian may prescribe any of the following:  

• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone  

• Cough suppressants, like Creative Science Cough Tablets, which includes guaifenesin and dextromethorphan  

• Combination antihistamine and corticosteroids, such as Temaril-P  

Your veterinarian may also want to treat the cough’s underlying cause. In that case, they may prescribe:  

• Antibiotics, such as doxycycline, to treat bacterial infections  

• Diuretics, such as furosemide, to treat fluid buildup in the lungs  

• Heart medications, such as pimobendan or enalapril, to treat heart disease  

• Bronchodilators, such as albuterol, to open up the airways  

• Antiparasitic medications, such as milbemycin oxime, to treat lungworms and heartworm disease  

Some dogs with severe coughing causing breathing difficulties may require hospitalization and supportive care, such as oxygen therapy or intravenous fluids.  

Surgery may be required to remove a foreign object or to place a stent on a collapsed trachea. 

If you notice your dog is coughing, schedule a vet visit to determine the underlying cause and get appropriate treatment.  

Once the cause has been determined, your vet may recommend some at-home supportive care to help your dog recover. This may include:  

• Keeping your dog calm and restricting their activity to support rest and healing. Your vet might recommend a crate with padding and a blanket.   

• Adding a humidifier to your dog’s resting area to moisten and soothe the airways. 

• Using a harness instead of a collar for walks. A harness reduces pressure on your dog’s neck during walks.  

Some cases of dog coughing—such as those caused by congenital heart defects or cancer—cannot be prevented.  

However, to give your dog the best chance of avoiding developing a cough, follow this advice:   

• Keep your dog up-to-date on vaccinations, such as Bordetella and distemper, to protect against viruses and bacteria that can cause coughing.  
• Schedule routine vet visits to catch and treat health concerns early.  
• Manage underlying health conditions and follow your vet’s advice.  
• Keep your dog’s space clean and wash bedding regularly to remove any allergens that can irritate the airways.  
• Provide access to fresh, clean water to moisten your dog’s throat.  

• Feed a high-quality, nutritious diet, like Hill’s Science Diet Adult, to help support your dog’s immune health.  

No, do not give your dog cough medicine without asking your vet first. Cough medicine for dogs is available only with a veterinary prescription. Human cough meds should never be given to dogs.  

There are many reasons your puppy may be coughing and wheezing, such as an underlying infection, congenital heart defect, or allergies. See your vet to determine the cause.   

See an emergency veterinarian immediately. This is a medical emergency.  

Yes, dog coughing can be contagious—though not always. For example, kennel cough spreads easily among dogs in close contact. Play it safe and keep your dog away from other canines until you can see a vet.  

Coughing can sound like a honk when it’s caused by narrowed airways, such as a collapsed trachea. Kennel cough may also cause this sound.  

There are many reasons your dog is coughing and gagging, from allergies to an underlying health condition. See your vet.  

As dogs settle down at night, their airways may become irritated due to positioning. Dogs with heart disease also cough more at night due to fluid buildup in their lungs.