Dog cough is a symptom that can reveal other serious pathologies:
What is cough?
Cough is a reflex that originates following the stimulation of "tussive" areas whose purpose is to violently expel air and thus free the lung system from any irritants and foreign materials.
The toxigenic areas are located along the respiratory system (larynx, trachea, etc.), their sensitivity varies with the species, age and irritation of the respiratory tract.
Dog cough is one of those symptoms that certainly cannot go unnoticed, we cannot say that we had not noticed that our dog was coughing, also because, generally, our dogs cough much less than us. They don't cough out of embarrassment or nervousness, and luckily for them, they don't smoke!
First of all, it is necessary to clarify that cough can occur as a result of multiple causes, it does not necessarily have to be caused by a serious problem, but if it is persistent and lasting it is better not to underestimate it, let our veterinarian identify its origin.
How can we understand what kind of problem is causing the cough and if it is serious? First of all, we can make a first schematic distinction: cough can occur due to problems with the respiratory system, throat, trachea, bronchi, etc., or it can be of cardiac origin, that is secondary to an alteration in the functionality of the heart.
In the first case we can still identify the affected tract, we must then distinguish the cough caused by the ingestion or inhalation of something that has irritated the throat, from the deeper cough that affects the lower respiratory tract.
The first is usually a strong, dry, non-productive cough, the animal shows only the cough symptom without having other problems.
When the causes of irritation persist, and are more aggressive, as generally occurs in the second hypothesis, the animal will usually present other symptoms such as depression, fever, (in the dog the rectal temperature is higher than in the man, we speak of hyperthermia above 39 °) this is often accompanied by loss of appetite, depending on the severity of the problem, breathing can be noisy and accelerated (tachypnea).
Dry and irritating cough can also be secondary to a viral problem, there are many viral diseases that cause cough, just to give an example, distemper, kennel cough, etc.
Fortunately, not always, and thanks to vaccination prophylaxis, cough is of viral origin.
Whenever the respiratory system is irritated, however, a bacterial complication can arise. This also happens without the need for the aggressive action of a virus following banal colds and blows of air.
Other times the cough is of a completely different origin, some worms and heartworm disease can cough.
We see below two causes of cough that appear quite frequently in our dogs not attributable to infectious facts.
The tracheal collapse
This is a purely mechanical pathology: the reduction of the lumen of the trachea and its irritation lead to an insistent cough which is accompanied by a state of agitation in the dog.
The noise is quite characteristic similar to that of a trumpet. This is a more frequent, but not unique, problem in small dogs, it occurs when the cartilaginous rings of the trachea squeeze and the dorsal ligament of the trachea relaxes. Unfortunately there is no therapy, the only cure is symptomatic (aimed at the disappearance of symptoms); anti-inflammatories and a quiet life are indispensable in the course of tracheal collapse. In this regard, a precaution that is always valid: if the dog pulls, coughs and chokes when we take him for a walk, it is necessary to replace the dog's collar with a harness.
Cardiac cough
Cough of cardiac origin occurs because the decrease in the work of the heart leads to a decrease in circulation in the lungs.
The slowing of the fluids in the vessels causes lung suffering with consequent cough. This occurs mainly at night because the position of the dog at rest accentuates the circulatory problems, giving rise to the cough that often does not manifest itself in the quadrupedal position.
Coughing fits can also occur under exertion, a cough after activity is also typical of chronic bronchitis.
The cough of cardiac origin can be more or less severe and evident, it is usually accompanied by other symptoms such as listlessness, reduced performance of our animal, etc., it is essential in these cases to put a stop to left heart failure.
It is advisable to contact your veterinarian who with a careful clinical examination will be able to assess whether our dog is simply lazy and listless with a little cough, or if it requires therapies that lighten the cardiac work and stop or at least slow down the problem from which it is affection.
Today the modern methods of investigation are available to our animal, it is possible to inspect the bronchial tree and the lungs with radiographs and evaluate the contraction force of the heart muscle with ultrasound. In case of valve murmurs and vices we can evaluate the extent with the Doppler echo, our veterinarian can carry out these tests and establish which are the most suitable drugs for the health of our animal.
SYMPTOMS
The dog is taken to the vet because he coughs all the time. The problem is chronic, the cough is dry, the noise it produces is similar to that of a trumpet. After a meal or water intake the dog often coughs, sometimes gags or even vomits, when he gets excited and fatigued the seriousness of the problem increases. Humidity, heat and stress lead to a worsening of the situation.
When the dog has an acute crisis, the owner runs to the vet suspecting that a foreign body is blocking his airways; in fact, in these cases, the symptoms and breathing difficulties are impressive, it can even lead to fainting due to cerebral hypoxia.
Things can be further complicated if chronic bronchitis is associated.
CAUSES
Congenital anomalies, defects in the consistency of the cartilaginous rings, or even weakening of these following repeated trauma and chronic diseases of the bronchial tree are hypothesized.
A lack of innervation of the muscle running on the back of the trachea has also been implicated as one of the causative factors.
DIAGNOSIS
The veterinarian's task is to recognize this disease and evaluate the best appropriate therapy.
The noise of the coughing, the size, the age, the air hunger and the circumstances that increase the symptoms are already indicative enough; problems of another nature, such as heart and bronchial diseases, must always be excluded.
In this regard, it should be remembered that, regardless of the onset of a collapse of the trachea, toy breed dogs sometimes have chronic heart valve and respiratory problems, which can confuse the picture.
X-ray examination generally dispels all doubts. The respiratory phase in which the x-ray is taken is important in evaluating the suspected tracheal tract.
During inspiration, the reduction in size of the trachea that runs into the neck can be seen on X-rays, while during exhalation it can be assessed if there is a defect in the tracheal tract inside the chest. Ultrasound is also used to identify conditions in the trachea, although it is only useful for the cervical tract.
THERAPY
When your dog shows acute symptoms with severe difficulty in breathing and appears very agitated, the first thing to do is to calm him down.
Providing him with oxygen, treating him with antitussives and tranquilizers is the most suitable approach in this circumstance.
In cases of severe inflammation the use of steroid anti-inflammatory drugs is also useful; if a swab has been carried out and an infection is present, the use of antibiotics is essential.
There is no therapy that can restore consistency to the rings and the dorsal membrane.
Dogs with tracheal collapse are at risk of an explosion of symptoms throughout their lives.
Maintenance therapy is aimed at minimizing disturbances and keeping the subject in acceptable conditions. The drugs used are the same as those mentioned for acute attacks, their dosage is established according to the result; however, there is a tendency to reduce the dosage and administration times more and more in order to obtain the best effect with the least possible use of drugs. Some people require continued use of cough suppressants. Bronchodilators are also often used with good results.
Surgical therapy is not universally accepted as valid. It consists in the use of annular prostheses that ensure the support of the trachea, it is implemented only in cases of cervical collapse and must be well thought out because it is not free from postoperative risks.
PREVENTION
It is essential to make obese subjects lose weight. Collars must be replaced by harnesses, especially if the dog is constantly pulling when led on a leash.
If the animal has a tracheal collapse, in addition to the above recommended, it will also need to be kept quiet especially in hot and humid weather.
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