Dog coughs treatment. The main causes of coughing in dogs. Heart disease in dogs

Every dog owner has heard their pet cough at least once. If the dog clears his throat quickly and this does not happen again, then there is no need to worry. And if the dog coughs repeatedly, the cough becomes more frequent or intensifies, it is necessary to identify the reasons. Often a cough is a sign of a disease that, in advanced cases, is difficult to cure.

A dog's cough may be due to external reasons– cold air, fast swallowing of food, tight collar or strong leash tension. There is no danger to health; it is enough to eliminate these causes of cough in a dog, and everything will go away.

What to pay attention to so that you can correctly determine why your dog is coughing:

frequency and regularity of cough;
how long ago did it appear;
The dog has a dry or wet cough;
is there any admixture of blood, mucus or pus in the sputum;
the pet chokes when coughing or tolerates it calmly;
what sounds does a dog make when clearing its throat?
general health, activity, presence or absence of appetite;
whether there are difficulties with swallowing food or water.

It is necessary to remember whether there was communication with unfamiliar or unhealthy dogs, whether the pet was on a self-walk, whether there was hypothermia, what food he ate before it started coughing or frequent coughing.

In addition to taking a medical history, the veterinarian will conduct visual inspection. Swelling, enlarged lymph nodes, cyanosis of the mucous membranes, disturbance heart rate, diseases of the teeth and gums - all this, together with a cough, proves the presence of a certain disease.

Tracheobronchitis

Tracheobronchitis is a viral disease transmitted by airborne droplets. It often happens in dogs living in kennels, where new animals are regularly introduced. This disease is also called aviary cough or kennel disease.

Symptoms of tracheobronchitis:

the dog coughs constantly, while the cough is dry, coming from the depths;
There may be attacks when the dog coughs as if he was choking on something. At the same time, she opens her mouth wide and clears her throat, making a gagging motion. This sometimes leads to vomiting;
sneezing;
sometimes the dog seems to cough, as if grunting or snorting;
When coughing, foam may appear, which the animal regurgitates.

The first signs appear some time after infection. Incubation period lasts from two days to two weeks. Symptoms may be mild or severe. In weakened dogs, the disease is often accompanied by a lack of appetite, fever and decreased activity.

No special treatment is carried out, recovery usually occurs on its own within 2-3 weeks, but symptoms of this disease will appear for a long time, especially after physical exertion or under stress. In some cases, you can give your dog cough suppressants. They soften it, but do not completely eliminate it.

If a puppy gets tracheobronchitis, the disease can drag on for one and a half to two months. Such a cough in a puppy or dog with a weak immune system is dangerous because it can lead to complications and develop into a sore throat or pneumonia. Treating a dog's cough at home in this case will not be effective, and in order to prevent serious consequences, you need to consult a doctor.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is caused by pathogenic microorganisms that begin their active activity in the event of prolonged or severe hypothermia of the animal, or in case of prolonged disease of the upper respiratory tract.

Symptoms:

moist cough;
refusal to eat and, as a result, exhaustion;
hard breath;
heat;
fever;
lethargic state (slow movements, lack of reaction, drowsiness).

Treatment of pneumonia is long-term; the prescription of drugs depends on what pathogenic microorganisms cause the disease. If you suspect pneumonia, you should not delay time - you must urgently contact a veterinary clinic. After clarifying the diagnosis, a qualified specialist will select medications and tell you how to treat a dog’s cough caused by pneumonia and how to alleviate the pet’s condition.

Angina

A dog may cough due to tonsillitis, an inflammatory process of the tonsils. There are many reasons for this disease:

infection inside the body or from outside;
advanced rhinitis;
foreign body in the throat;
complication after tracheobronchitis;
gingivitis, tartar.

Sore throat is accompanied by pronounced symptoms:

the dog has an appetite, but it cannot eat due to a sore throat and therefore refuses to eat;
the dog tries to hold back the cough, and if it clears its throat, the sound is superficial, muffled;
frequent swallowing movements;
vomit;
the temperature is elevated;
bad breath;
tonsils are enlarged, may be covered with mucus or pus, and redness is observed.

Sore throat does not go away on its own. For its treatment it is prescribed antibacterial drugs. If inflammation of the tonsils is a secondary disease and is caused by a foreign body, dental disease, or infection, complex treatment is carried out.

In very rare cases, when therapy does not help, prescribe surgical intervention and the tonsils are removed.

Foreign body

A foreign body lodged in the larynx can cause a cough. This usually happens immediately after eating or during a walk when the dog picks up something from the ground. A dog can choke on any hard object, but objects with sharp edges are especially dangerous.

If you notice that your dog is suddenly coughing as if he is choking, what to do:

hold the pet between your knees and with both hands try to open its mouth wide;
if the stuck object is noticeable and is not deep, you must try to pull it out;
You can pull it out with your hands only if the object is stuck shallowly and you can grab it with your fingers;
in other cases, use tweezers or a medical clamp.

If the dog has choked so much that the object is not visible, or it is visible, but there are no means at hand to remove it, you should not try to do this. You need to see a doctor as soon as possible. With careless movements, the object can go even deeper and getting it out will be problematic.

In addition to coughing, other symptoms may indicate that a foreign body has entered the larynx:

if it is not possible to cough up a foreign body, the dog may vomit;
vomiting occurs and sometimes during vomiting the object may come out on its own;
empty swallowing movements;
frequent licking of lips and nose;
sometimes, instead of coughing, the dog wheezes and it seems that the pet has suffocated.

Heart diseases

A cough can indicate not only respiratory diseases, but also a canine heart disease. In addition to coughing, symptoms such as:

labored breathing;
weakness, drowsiness;
lack of appetite;
blue discoloration of mucous membranes;
open mouth when breathing, as if the animal does not have enough air coming through the nose. This happens especially often in hot weather;
The cough most often occurs at night or in the morning.

In order to make an accurate diagnosis, you need to go to a veterinary clinic. After the examination, the veterinarian will prescribe medications to normalize heart function, to maintain uniform breathing, and will tell you what to give and what to do if an attack occurs. If heart disease accompanied by edema, diuretics are prescribed.

Dirofilariasis

Dirofilariasis is damage to the arteries and the heart itself by heartworms. The disease is transmitted through blood-sucking insects and is life-threatening for the pet. Symptoms are similar to those of heart disease:

apathy and drowsiness;
cough, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath;
fainting;
swelling of the forelimbs and lower part of the sternum.

Heartworm infection in dogs causes nausea and vomiting. In its advanced state, this disease can lead to fatal outcome. Treatment and dosage of drugs is prescribed by a veterinarian and carried out under his supervision.

Tracheal collapse

Collapse is chronic illness, which initially proceeds unnoticed, but progresses over time. It can be either congenital or acquired, and is more common in small dogs. Characterized by the following symptoms:

occasional cough that sounds like quacking;
loss of appetite;
gagging when eating or drinking;
weakness;
dyspnea.

The disease can only be treated well with initial stage. Appropriate medications are used and special dietary supplements are prescribed to promote the restoration of cartilage tissue. If the disease is advanced, then only surgery can help. Damaged rings in the trachea are replaced with implants.

Paroxysmal breathing

Paroxysmal breathing, or reverse sneezing, is not a disease. This is a condition when, under the influence of certain factors, the respiratory process is disrupted and air is drawn in instead of exhaled. This most often occurs in small breeds. Outwardly, it looks as if the pet is suffocating, the neck is stretched, the eyes seem bulging, and the paws are spread wide apart.

Such breathing may be accompanied by vomiting, convulsions of the soft palate and throat. The danger is that at such a moment, vomit can enter the lungs and cause aspiration pneumonia, which is life-threatening.

The cause may be sudden inhalation of cold or hot air, or air polluted by exhaust gases or cigarette smoke.

Treatment for this condition is not required; it is necessary to eliminate the causes and prevent them in the future.

Bottom line

A one-time cough that occurs in every dog is nothing to worry about. If the cough recurs, gets worse, or is accompanied by other symptoms, you should contact a veterinarian. In some cases, a cough indicates very serious illnesses.

Many owners have encountered the phenomenon of coughing in dogs. It can be a symptom of some disease or be completely harmless. Why does my dog start coughing as if he's choking?

Here are some common causes of expectorant cough:

Providing first aid to a dog when coughing

If you notice that your dog has started coughing as if he is choking, check his mouth for availability foreign bodies. If you clearly see a foreign object, tweezers will help you remove it. But you need to take out the item very carefully. Also, turning the dog upside down and shaking it may help. Or you can use the Heimlich maneuver if you know how to do it correctly. If an object or bone is stuck deep in the throat, most likely only a veterinarian can help.

Watch the dog and Call your doctor right away if you have the following symptoms with your cough: refusal to eat, severe weakness, convulsions, difficulty or rapid breathing, vomiting.

How to treat a dog's cough? In order to establish a diagnosis, it is necessary to contact veterinarian. The specialist will examine the animal and prescribe the following: examinations:

chest x-ray;
blood tests (general and biochemical tests);
examination of the pharynx, trachea, esophagus and bronchi using an endoscope;
biopsy (in the presence of neoplasms);
culture for the presence of pathogenic microflora in the bronchi.

After receiving the results, the veterinarian will tell you what disease caused the expectorant cough. Treatment consists of taking medicines(for each case it is prescribed individual scheme taking medications).

If the cough was caused by bronchitis or other infectious and viral diseases , the veterinarian will prescribe antibiotics (Sizomycin, Bicillin, Cephalosporin). The most effective way is to give intravenous injections.

With a cough caused by allergies, will help you cope antihistamines: Dexamethasone, Calcium Chloride or Diprazine. Animals can also drink echinacea tincture twice a day: large breeds - 15 drops, small breeds - 7 drops. To boost immunity It is useful to give dogs vitamins A, C, E. They can be bought at a veterinary pharmacy. Be sure to read the instructions and dosage.

Cough is a reflexive protective ability of the body.

The appearance of a cough reflex in a dog can be caused by factors of both external and internal nature. The complexity of the course of the disease and the clinical picture will depend on the degree of exposure of the irritating agents to the animal’s body. Timely detection of cough and diagnostics will eliminate pathological process and cure your pet.

Characteristics of cough

Cough is a complex response reflex to irritation of the laryngeal, tracheal, bronchial receptors and pleura by foreign bodies. The laryngeal mucosa is especially sensitive to irritants.

Irritants include:

Sputum
Exudate
Blood
Slime
Helminth larvae

The mechanism of formation of the cough reflex

After taking a deep breath, a cough impulse occurs. Muscle contraction increases air pressure in the airways, the vocal cords open, and air is noisily thrown out.

When conducting a clinical assessment of cough, it is necessary to pay attention to its frequency, strength, moisture, and pain. The listed characteristics are of significant importance when making a diagnosis.

The nature of the cough symptom is influenced by the course of the inflammatory process, which can be acute, subacute and chronic.

Types of cough

Classification of cough in dogs according to the nature of sputum produced:

Dry (non-productive) – no sputum production
Wet (productive) - when coughing, mucus and sputum are released

Classification of cough by severity:

Quiet, strong
Dull, sonorous
Muted
Drawing
Paroxysmal cough - stronger and longer lasting

Classification of cough according to current:

Acute - occurs quickly, lasts about a week
Subacute - lasts 1 - 2 weeks
Chronic - lasts more than 3 weeks

Classification of cough according to the dynamics of cough manifestations:

Stable - frequency and strength are constant throughout the entire period
Recurrent - during the disease, a decrease in cough is replaced by its resumption several times

Classification of cough according to the nature of the frequency of manifestation:

Rare coughing (when the trachea is compressed, it goes away quickly)
Frequent cough

Etiology (cause of occurrence) of cough in dogs

The causes of cough symptoms in dogs are external and internal factors.

External factors:

Entry of a foreign body into Airways
Mechanical injuries of the larynx, trachea

Internal factors:

Dog cough

When making a diagnosis, the medical history is studied and the following is taken into account:

Dog age
Breed affiliation
Physiological state
Etiology (factors and causes that provoked the appearance of cough)
Type (frequency, strength, duration)
Feeding and maintenance conditions
Availability of vaccinations

If necessary, additional diagnostic examination of the animal is carried out:

X-ray
Biochemical blood test
Laryngo-, broncho- and tracheoscopy, esophagoscopy

In some cases, microbiological examination of bronchial secretions is carried out.

But a cough sign may not always be diagnostic. If the cough reflex appears once, and general state the dog has not changed, then the likelihood of the disease is minimal. You can limit yourself to just observing your pet for several days. If the symptom intensifies, its strength and frequency increase, it is worth contacting a veterinarian.

Treatment of cough syndrome in dogs

Dog cough

The principle of treating cough syndrome and resulting diseases is to use medicines several groups at the same time.

Complex treatment involves the use of:

Antimicrobial agents wide range actions
Antiallergic drugs
Diuretic drugs
Bronchodilators, expectorants and antitussives
Heart drugs
Immunomodulators and hepatoprotectors

Types of cough in dogs and its symptoms

Clinical picture Cough symptoms in dogs will depend on the type of cough and the severity of the underlying disease.

Cough in the presence of a foreign body and mechanical damage to the respiratory tract ( like a dog was choking )

The entry of a foreign body into the dog’s respiratory system can be observed when the act of swallowing is disturbed, when the act of swallowing is greedy, paralysis of the pharynx (rabies).

Symptoms

The cough is hoarse, paroxysmal, convulsive. There is a discharge of bloody foamy mucus and signs of suffocation. The pet refuses food, water, and shakes its head. He tries to get something with his paws and hits himself in the face. Often the cough is accompanied by vomiting.

Treatment

Important! Do not self-medicate! Swallowing disorder ( like a dog was choking) may be a sign of rabies, especially in the absence of vaccinations. You should visit a veterinary specialist.

In a hospital setting and rabies is excluded, extraction is carried out foreign object under general anesthesia using an endoscope. Sometimes a tracheotomy has to be done. Delay in treatment can lead to the development of bronchopneumonia and asthma. Do not give oily liquids to your dog!

Sometimes a dog's cough reflex can occur when the collar is too tight. Eliminated by weakening the latter.

Separately, cough is isolated as a result of inhalation of toxic fumes and carbon monoxide.

Providing assistance - providing access fresh air and contact a veterinarian.

Allergic cough

Arises as a result hypersensitivity body to allergens of various natures ( chemical substances, insectoacaricidal agents, plants, insect bites).

Symptoms

The dog sneezes and coughs. There is swelling of the eyelids, redness of the mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes, and urticaria on the skin (visible in non-pigmented areas).

Treatment

Antihistamines are used. It is necessary to consult a doctor to establish an accurate diagnosis and prescribe comprehensive treatment.

Invasive cough

Symptoms

Bronchitis, tracheitis, and pneumonia develop. The cough is dry or moderately wet. It is observed to increase in the supine position.

Treatment

You should consult a doctor. Broad-spectrum antibiotics and expectorants are used. Be sure to carry out deworming according to your doctor's instructions.

With regular quarterly preventive deworming, invasive cough will not occur.

Cardiac cough

The disease begins quickly. The manifestation of the disease is typical for dogs large breeds(Dobermans, Shepherds, Labradors). Occurs with cardiac congestion vascular insufficiency and heart disease (myocarditis, myocardosis, dilated cardiomyopathy). The development of pathology leads to hypertrophy (enlargement) of the heart and accumulation of exudate (fluid) in the lungs, which are detected by ultrasound or x-ray diagnostics.

Pathology of cardiac and vascular activity leads to stagnation in the body. As a result, functional failure of the liver, lungs, and kidneys occurs.

Cardiac cough occurs reflexively as a result of pressure from a hypertrophied (enlarged) heart on the trachea.

Symptoms

During physical activity, a rare muffled coughing sound appears with a tendency to increase. Shortness of breath and rapid fatigue of the animal occur. Cyanosis of the mucous membranes is observed. During auscultation (listening to heart sounds), arrhythmia is noted.

Treatment

At complex treatment They use heart medications, diuretics to reduce swelling, and vitamins. If necessary, antibacterial agents are prescribed.

Should be reduced physical exercise dog, limit fluid intake.

Aviary (kennel) cough or infectious tracheobronchitis

Occurs when dogs are infected with adenovirus, bordetella and mycoplasma.

The disease is transmitted through contact, from a sick or recovering dog to a healthy one. A few minutes of contact is enough for the bacteria to enter the body.

A complex disease of dogs that occurs as a result of simultaneous exposure to the body of several pathogenic groups - bordetella, mycoplasma, adenovirus type 2, parainfluenza virus and respiratory coronavirus.

The disease affects dogs regardless of age and breed. Crowded nurseries are a provoking and contributing factor in the occurrence of aviary cough. Kennel cough comes in two forms: mild and severe.

Symptoms

The clinical picture will depend on immune status dogs and the virulence (strength) of the pathogen. Light form does not pose a threat to the dog's health. If the body's resistance is good, the pet's condition will not change much. The appetite will be normal, the dog will not lose activity.

The severe form occurs with complications. An animal with a weak immune system will exhibit all characteristic symptoms diseases. The dog is apathetic and will refuse food as a result of tonsillitis (tonsillitis) and soreness of enlarged tonsils. Mucous discharge appears from the nose and eyes.

A characteristic symptom is a strong dry cough (masked as a cough symptom due to a foreign body). After attacks, frequent regurgitation of characteristic foamy sputum may occur, resulting from increased irritability of the tracheal mucosa. Cough syndrome is observed for 7 – 21 days. There is hyperthermia and signs of pneumonia. The clinical picture is similar to the symptoms of canine distemper. IN chronic form The cough continues in the absence of necessary treatment.

For differential (comparative) diagnosis of kennel cough, examination of sick animals is necessary. veterinarian.

Sick dogs should be isolated in a warm room, provided with rest and adequate nutrition.

Young animals and healthy dogs vaccinated with complex vaccines against adenoviruses. Newly received unvaccinated dogs are vaccinated after quarantine. Preventive vaccination allows you to eliminate cough syndrome in nurseries due to infectious tracheobronchitis.

At proper treatment aviary cough goes away quickly, which cannot be said about the plague.

Treatment

Prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics, antipyretics, antitussives, expectorants and antispasmodics, complex vitamin preparations, and immunoprotectors.

Antitussive drugs should not be combined with mucolytics. Be sure to include expectorant medications.

Cough in small breed dogs

Cough in small breed dogs is a stable symptom.

Dog cough

Representatives of small breeds ‒ miniature poodle, pomeranian spitz, Yorkshire Terrier, Chihuahua have hereditary and breed predisposition to diseases oral cavity and teeth. Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and dental caries are triggers for the development of cough symptoms in small dogs. These oral diseases are preceded by the presence of tartar and stomatitis. The microflora from the source of inflammation of the oral cavity spreads to the nearby tonsils and pharynx. Tonsillitis (tonsillitis) develops.

Anatomically, the tonsils are located deep in the folds. When inflamed, they are enlarged, swollen and hypersensitive. This provokes frequent, constant coughing that lasts for hours. Breathing becomes difficult. If complex drug treatment using antimicrobial agents does not relieve the problem and frequent relapses are observed, then resort to surgical removal tonsils In addition, small breed dogs are predisposed to stenosis (narrowing) of the larynx. In severe cases, collapse of the trachea may occur - a sharp narrowing of its lumen, with softening of the cartilage.

Further inflammatory process spreads to the heart, causing mitral pathology heart valve, as a consequence, disruption of cardiovascular activity. The determining factor in the occurrence of diseases is inadequate feeding.

The treatment is complex.

They use antibiotics and vitamins. The oral cavity is sanitized, tartar is cleaned and all damaged teeth are removed to eliminate pockets of pathogenic microflora. You should pay attention to the quality and nutritional value of your pet.

Cough due to lung cancer

A stable, frequent, muffled cough in dogs can be observed with tumors in the lungs. The cough symptom is accompanied by shortness of breath and decreased activity of the dog. This cough is most often observed in older dogs.

Treatment

You can alleviate the painful condition of an animal by using hormonal drugs, analgesics, bronchodilators and bronchodilators.

Cough should always be considered as a symptom and not as a disease. The presence of this symptom in a dog always indicates the presence of inflammatory or pathological phenomena in the body. The symptom cannot be neglected, since there is a high probability of missing the underlying primary disease.

Even if the owner wants to help the pet, it is not recommended to start treating cough on your own at home.

The use of incorrectly selected medications often changes the picture of the disease, which makes diagnosis difficult. Moreover, it makes the disease chronic.

Timely determination of the cause of a cough allows a correct diagnosis. A correctly selected and timely applied therapeutic technique will eliminate the disease. The sooner treatment is started, the greater the likelihood that the dog will recover and possible complications will be eliminated.

There can be many reasons why a dog wheezes, and they will not always be negative, but this condition of the pet should still not be ignored. The type of wheezing will help determine the disease itself, its degree and causes. Depending on the source of the disease, it can be the bronchi, trachea and lungs, which produce wet and dry wheezing.

Why does the dog wheeze?

Laryngospasm or laryngeal swelling. The reasons for its occurrence may be various allergies or the penetration of foreign bodies into the pet’s throat. The attack is sometimes caused by tightening the collar. At the same time, the dog begins to wheeze, as if he was choking, and at the onset of the attack itself he looks enraged and tries to take in as much air as possible with his mouth. During this process, the dog's mucous membranes may acquire a bluish tint. In most cases, with timely contact with a veterinarian, laryngospasm is treated without further possible complications.

Brachycephalic syndrome. This disease affects dogs with a small and round skull and a flattened nose (Pekingese, pugs, and bulldogs). The development of the disease for these breeds is a normal biological phenomenon due to the peculiar structure of the skull. The disease can be diagnosed by the following signs: narrowing of the nasal passages, swelling soft palate and changes in the shape of the larynx. At the same time, the dog snores, breathes heavily, inhaling, sniffles clearly, and you can notice the blueness of her mucous membranes.

The appearance of tumors of the respiratory organs. If the dog is also coughing, this may be a signal of the presence of benign or malignant tumors. Bronchitis or pneumonia. During diseases of this kind, the dog coughs very often and constantly wheezes when breathing. There is a misconception that dogs are not susceptible to these diseases, but they occur in 50% of 100 possible.

Types of wheezing

Dry wheezing is caused by a narrowing of the distance between the bronchi, copious secretions or obstruction of the airways. When exhaling, the animal wheezes much louder. Wet wheezing in a dog is a consequence of the accumulation of blood or other fluids in the lungs, as this slows down the passage of air.

Wheezing, more like a crunching or crackling sound, is called crepitus and occurs when the alveoli swell. Such wheezing can occur with pneumonia or fibrosis. Wheezing, similar to a whistle, is also caused by a decrease in the lumen of the airways. It is found in brachycephaly, paralysis of the vocal cords and the penetration of objects into the throat of the animal.

Actions of owners in cases where the animal wheezes

Of course, if your dog starts wheezing, he should be immediately taken to the veterinarian. As is already clear from the above, it is impossible to determine the diagnosis on your own. If the owner notices an increasing pattern of wheezing in the dog and strange behavior similar to a seizure, it is necessary:

Provide the animal with oxygen by opening the windows.
It is strictly forbidden to touch the dog's chest. Especially if the animal is lying in a strange position.

If the dog’s health is not critical, it would not be a bad idea to examine its mouth for the presence of objects that have fallen there. In such cases, the animal may reflexively bite a person.

Treatment of wheezing in dogs

The correct therapy is prescribed depending on the cause of wheezing. This can be diagnosed using x-rays, bronchoscopy and other options for viewing the throat. If brachiocephalic pathology, laryngeal paralysis and tracheal collapse, for example, are detected, the dog will undergo surgery to cure it.

In situations of swelling of the larynx and laryngospasm, the pet is treated with medication. Sometimes artificial ventilation is used. The presence of a foreign body in the respiratory organs requires bronchoscopy and removal of the object. You can often hear that you can get rid of an object in your pet’s throat on your own, but this is not always the right decision.

It is possible to remove a foreign object from the respiratory tract only in cases where it is on the surface, that is, it can be carefully removed using tweezers or your hand. But if it is clearly visible that the object sits very tightly in the throat, then it is better not to engage in amateur activities, because when trying to get this object, you can seriously damage the animal’s throat.

For oncological tumors, therapy is tailored strictly individually, based on the stage of the disease and symptoms. Bronchitis and pneumonia should be treated with cough suppressants and antibiotics.
If the animal has pulmonary edema, intensive decongestant treatment is prescribed. In any case, it is necessary to establish the specific cause of wheezing. This will determine the success of the treatment.

Wheezing in a dog is an unpleasant symptom, both for the pet itself and for its owner, therefore, in such cases, contacting a veterinarian should be carried out as soon as possible in order to avoid more serious complications or even death.

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Canine diseases differ in their course from human pathologies. Sometimes the cause of coughing and regurgitation of white foam is difficult to explain - this maybe ordinary respiratory infection, or maybe a serious illness.

This phenomenon often occurs in four-legged pets, and walks in winter time do not exclude the risk of disease. To avoid serious complications, it is advisable to immediately notify your veterinarian.

A dog's cough may begin due to one of the following reasons:

A foreign object entering the chest.
Trauma to the chest and neck area.
Enlargement of the heart chambers due to diseases of the dog’s cardiovascular system.

If bones, vomit, small toys, leftover food, etc. get into the respiratory tract, an inflammatory process begins in the respiratory organs. In some cases, this causes phlegm to form.

Some dogs may have congenital anomaly buildings respiratory system . This is how some pets experience tracheal collapse. In this case, the cough resembles a grunt. This is due to the fact that in pleural cavity there is liquid and air.

Sometimes the dog can cope with the disease itself. But there are cases when medical attention is urgently needed. For example, if a cough is accompanied by shortness of breath, loss of appetite, and lethargy, then you need to call a veterinarian.

Causes of mucus, foam or drool

Kennel cough

Kennel cough is often accompanied by regurgitation of foam. It develops against the background viral infection, which is often accompanied by bacterial complications. First, the dog develops a dry cough. It torments the pet, manifests itself in heavy breathing and a prolonged suffocating cough, which sometimes ends in vomiting. Vomit looks like white foam.

The pathology can affect a dog of any breed and age, but most often it affects young individuals up to 2 years old. The disease is spreading by airborne droplets, so you can get infected with kennel cough anywhere, as long as you have contact with an infectious animal.

Sometimes the owner himself, without knowing it, can be the culprit of the dog’s disease, since the pathogen can be brought into the house even on the soles of shoes.

The most common causes of this type of cough are: groups of viruses:

parainfluenza;
adenovirus;
reovirus, etc.

Very often a secondary microbial complication is attached to the virus; it develops due to the activity of the following pathogenic microorganisms:

mycoplasmas;
bordetella;
streptococci;
staphylococci;
pasteurella.

Therapy is carried out only after a correct diagnosis has been made, otherwise it will not only be ineffective, but may also be dangerous to the life of the animal.

In puppies, pregnant and lactating

Most often, young dogs under two years of age and old pets whose the immune system has already been significantly reduced. Various diseases, including those accompanied by cough in dogs, as well as in humans, are associated with immunity. This is why young, old, pregnant and lactating animals are more likely to get sick.

After determining the cause

To know what to do with a particular type of cough, which is accompanied by regurgitation of white foam, an accurate diagnosis is necessary.

Every disease has various methods therapy:

United preventive measures There is no cure for all types of cough. Each disease will require its own actions to prevent the development of the disease. But there are general recommendations who can strengthen the body's protective functions and allow you to overcome the disease in the shortest possible time.