HOW TO CURE A COUGH IN A DOG?
Thursday, 25 April 2024
As it is commonly known, dogs do not suffer from human ailments, such as viral ones. Therefore, it may seem funny to someone that his pet is coughing. It is possible, however, so it is worth knowing how to combat coughing in your dog.
When it comes to the causes of coughing in dogs, there may be at least a few of them. Infectious causes include, for example, bacteria, viruses and parasites. Non-infectious causes, on the other hand, may include a malformed trachea or heart problems.
Of course, as with any type of treatment, the most important thing is to diagnose and determine what caused the occurrence of cough in our dog. In situation when vet suspects that it's related to heart problems, it's necessary to consult a person who specializes in veterinary cardiology. They may be able to recommend an ECG or echocardiogram so that the best course of treatment for your pet can be planned.
If our dog's cough is found to be caused by roundworms in his digestive tract, a fecal examination should be performed. Then, it is necessary to introduce a treatment of drugs against worms, which is usually long-term.
The cause of coughing can also be viral inflammation of the respiratory tract. Most often such infections are struggling with dogs that have lived for some time in the shelter, but it is also a common ailment of well-groomed dogs, participating in various types of exhibitions or training. In the case of inflammation, the dog is given antibiotics. Veterinarians emphasize, however, that the expected results give also medicines to increase immunity and those that facilitate expectoration.
The above-mentioned causes are definitely the most common, but as we know, they are not the only ones we can deal with. In the case of Yorkies, a dry cough appears during play. When they are happy and react in an emotional way, the trachea collapses. This kind of defect is diagnosed in a large group of miniature dogs. It is associated with malformation of the tracheal rings and narrowing of its interior, so specialized treatment is required.
Coughing may seem like a strange symptom of canine heart problems, but it actually is. When the heart muscle is inefficient, it can't pump enough blood to guarantee a steady, proper flow through all the organs. Its excess is stored in the lungs, and as a consequence, the pulmonary parenchyma becomes edematous and the fluid seeps into the pleural cavity. The fluid irritates the sensory receptors located in the chest and thus causes coughing. Too much blood is also accumulated in the heart, causing its left atrium to enlarge and press on the main bronchial trunks located quite close, thus causing coughing. In dogs with such a heart defect, coughing fits usually occur at night when the heart rate is slower and blood cannot drain from the lungs.
Cardiovascular diseases occur most often in dogs that are representatives of large breeds that weigh more than 15 kg. The usually diagnosed disease is dilated cardiomyopathy. Treatment takes a very long time and involves giving the dog a lot of drugs to see which one gives the best results. Unfortunately, there is no chance of a complete cure for your dog in this situation. In addition to medication, animals with such problems are recommended a diet without sodium chloride. It is therefore important to reduce or completely eliminate industrial food from your dog's diet, as there is a lot of salt in it.
