What causes dogs to cough? The most comprehensive analysis of the causes of dog cough

Jul 26,2025
6Min

Dogs cough because of kennel cough

"Kennel cough" is also called canine infectious tracheobronchitis. Dogs with this disease will continue to cough violently, and there will be a "kennel cough" at the end of the cough. Painful lowering movements and a long "click" sound. At the beginning, body temperature and appetite are normal. Only when complications occur will symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, diarrhea and vomiting occur. At this time, it is difficult to treat, so it must be controlled early.
This disease may last for a long time (ranging from 1 week to several months), and commonly used antibiotics are difficult to be effective, so it is also called "canine intractable cough". If you have kennel cough, in addition to routine treatment and balanced diet and nutrition, you must also pay attention to cold protection.

Dogs cough because their organs have collapsed

Small dogs such as Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Pekingese, Shih Tzus, Toy Poodles and Yorkshire Terriers are prone to a genetic disease, which is the trachea If it collapses, symptoms will appear as if you can't breathe. Especially sometimes right after exercise, the dog will make a goose-like breathing sound.
To put it simply, tracheal collapse means that the trachea is squashed, making it more difficult for the dog to breathe. The normal trachea is circular, but after a dog's trachea collapses, it becomes flat and oval-shaped, making it more difficult to breathe air. It feels like drinking a drink through a flat straw. Most tracheal collapse is thought to be hereditary, but obesity, diet, and environmental factors can also make a dog's airway narrower.

Dogs cough because of reverse sneezing

When dogs are excited, exercise vigorously, drink water or eat quickly, they suddenly gasp loudly as if they are choked by something. Gas and dry cough, this condition is called "reverse sneezing", or more technically known as "intermittent tracheospasm". It usually disappears in a short period of time and is not a serious problem. Medical treatment is only required when a prolonged episode causes difficulty in breathing.

Dogs cough because of congenital heart disease

Canine heart disease mainly has the following symptoms:
1. Coughing, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing.
2. Dilated pupils, trance, and white mucous membranes.
3. Easily tired.
4. Abdominal distension.
5. Weight loss and thinness.
6. Multiple muscle groups tremble, and severe dogs may go into shock.
Generally speaking, dogs with heart disease do not like to exercise and are intolerant to exercise, or suffer from long-term and stubborn symptoms such as coughing and wheezing, syncope, edema of limbs, and pleural effusion. , but in the clinical practice of our veterinarians, it is easily confused with symptoms such as respiratory infections and epilepsy. Therefore, everyone must be accurate and comprehensive when providing information to veterinarians.

Dogs cough because of canine asthma

Canine asthma is also chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma and allergic bronchitis that we often hear. Most of them are caused by allergies. When dogs and cats are exposed to allergens When stimulated, it will cause the smooth muscles of the airways to contract, and usually the disease will gradually become more severe, eventually leading to bronchiectasis and emphysema. Possible allergens include, but are not limited to: grass, pollen, smoke, aerosols (perfume, deodorant, flea spray, hairspray), dust, dry cleaning powder, or food allergies, but often the allergen cannot be identified , and asthma symptoms will continue and may become more frequent.
The standard symptoms of asthma are as follows: A sick dog will squat like a hen, extending its neck close to the ground, and then develop a rough wheezing sound, sometimes accompanied by coughing symptoms. , depending on the severity or frequency of allergens, some dogs will have it continuously within a day, others will have an attack once every few days, and mild ones will only have an attack once every few months to several years.

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