Something is trapped in their airway
If your dog is coughing or gagging and it started while they were eating, chewing on a bone, or playing with toys, they could have gotten something stuck in their airway.
You’ll want to monitor your dog to ensure they’re eating, drinking, and going to the bathroom normally – as issues here can be a sign of a blockage.
If this is a rare occurrence, and it resolves quickly there is probably nothing to worry about. If your dog is frequently coughing or gagging after eating, drinking, or playing with toys it may be cause for concern. See your vet for an exam to rule out a blockage or a tumor that could be causing things to get stuck. If your dog is choking, you may need to administer the Heimlich maneuver, which isn’t performed the same as in humans.
While healthy hydration is very important to your pup’s overall health, it is possible for them to drink too quickly. If this is the case, it might cause your dog to gag or cough. This is not serious if it only happens occasionally and only lasts a few minutes. If your dog is consistently drinking too fast you may need to control their water intake so they don’t drink too quickly.
If your dog is nauseous, they may show signs of dry heaving. This can happen both before and after your dog throws up. Occasional vomiting may not be a cause for concern, but if your dog is going more than 24 hours without being able to even keep water down or has any other symptoms like lethargy or a fever, you should call your vet.
If your dog does vomit, you should withhold food and water for a few hours (ask your vet how many) and then start by reintroducing water slowly. You can offer a bland diet including things like lean ground beef, rice and sweet potatoes.
If your dog gets too excited they might gag. You can help them work through their excitement and calm down. If they don’t calm down and continue to gag, you might want to end the activity (or whatever is causing the excitement) or give them a quite place to relax.
What is the Difference in Gagging, Coughing, and Vomiting?
When it comes to gagging it is important to understand what the noise is and how it is going to affect you. It sounds often like they are going to try and vomit while they are also in the process of coughing.
There is a huge difference in all of things and when the dog is doing each of them it is important to be able to explain to the vet what it is that is happening.
When you are looking at things, when there is a coughing happening, there is usually not much that is brought up by thins. This may be some saliva or some mucus, but this is usually swallowed. When there is vomiting that happens this will be different because everything that is in the stomach of the pet will end up on the floor.
Gagging happens when coughing is also happening. When a dog is gagging, he or she is going to open up their mouth and make a foul retching sound. However, when this is happening, there will not be anything coming out of the mouth of the dog. There may be a little liquid but there is not going to be anything when gagging like when vomiting. When this happens there may e coughs, then gaging and then other issues. When a vet is working with you, he or she will need to know the kinds of diseases that need to be considered.
Gagging happens when there is an inflammation that is a part of the larynx. There are many things that cause pets to gag. You need to work with a vet to find out what it is that is causing the issue. When there is a coughing and then a gagging it is important to think about the possibilities of lower respiratory disease. When a dog is gagging first there are all kinds of possibilities of the problem of the larynx.
Two things that because issues are infectious problems as well as paralysis of the larynx. Kennel cough is one of those things as well that happen from gagging. This is infectious as well as something that sounds like a cough and then a gag. There are also more issues that could be more severe such as pneumonia.
Paralysis of the larynx is something that happens a lot in Labrador Retrievers. In this condition there are problems with the larynx and the pet no longer has any access to the airway. This also comes from a lot of panting and other issues. This is a condition that starts out without a lot of problems and gets worse over time.
Canine chronic bronchitis
When the tiny branches of your dogâs lower airways become inflamed, a persistent cough can develop. If your dog has coughed daily for more than two months, they may have canine chronic bronchitis. This chronic condition is unlikely to resolve, so treatment focuses on addressing the symptoms.
Other reasons for coughing in dogs include heartworm disease â which should not be a problem if your pup is on regular heartworm medication.
Reverse sneezing, also known as paroxysmal respiration, may seem like coughing, but itâs not. In a reverse sneezing episode, a dog actually sucks air in rather than forcing it out. The reverse sneezing attack may last up to a minute, then itâs over â and your dog will probably act like nothing happened. Donât be alarmed, but keep track of how often this happens. If reverse sneezing becomes a daily occurrence, contact your vet to rule out any other conditions.
Laryngeal paralysis is another condition that may seem cough-related. In laryngeal paralysis, the muscles that surround the voice box (larynx) become weak. Your pup may pant loudly and their voice may change. Always see your veterinarian when your dog experiences changes in breathing.
Lung cancer can cause persistent coughing in dogs. But lung cancer is not a common reason that dogs experience coughing.
Why Does My Dog Keep Gagging?
If your dog is making the sounds and motions of vomiting with nothing coming out, they are dry heaving. In this post, our Visalia vets talk about dry heaving in dogs, including the cause and how to stop it.
Our Visalia emergency vets know how it can be distressing to watch or hear your dog dry heave. It certainly looks and sounds like they are going to vomit, but nothing comes out. So, what can be causing this?