Why You’ve Got Dog Coughing & Gagging Its Head Off
When a dog coughs or gags, it could signal a simple throat irritation or a serious illness. Here's why it happens, how to figure out where your dog's been coming across these germs & how to help them feel better.
A dog coughing by itself isn’t necessarily an emergency. Much like in humans, coughing helps clear irritants like dust, pollen, or mucus from the airway. So if you’re hearing your buddy coughing occasionally, it’s usually not a cause for concern.
At the same time, excessive coughing can be a sign of illness in dogs – such as heart disease, infection, or a breathing obstruction – and some of these ailments can be life-threatening.
Read on to learn about the different types of coughing in dogs and what you can do to take care of your canine loved one. (Including a vet-approved recommendation: Activity Tracking.)
…then it’s time to take a closer look. All these signs could indicate something more serious.
Now you wouldn’t be the first dog parent to wonder: where is my dog coming in contact with so many germs or pollutants in the first place?
Which, well, you’d be able to tell if you’re monitoring your dog’s whereabouts throughout the day 24/7. (And which we know isn’t sustainable in the long term – you’ve got a life, after all.)
Because it could be that your dog is running into these cough-inducing substances in:
…or miles away from home, where there’s no end to the dangers they might face.
And if you’ve got a free-range, outdoor dog at home that’s used to spending time by themselves, exploring their surroundings…take it from us, you’re better off not hovering over them all day!
Coughing and gagging may sound similar when they happen, but they’re not quite the same.
A cough is caused when your dog forces air out of the mouth and throat.
Gagging is more akin to vomiting, but nothing comes out except some phlegm or mucus.
Coughing can lead to gagging and vice versa – but either can happen on its own. Gagging is often the result of your dog gulping down large chunks of dry food or swallowing something distasteful. It’s a natural process to rid the body of the swallowed or partially-swallowed item.
What are the different types of dog coughs?
Pay attention to how your dog’s cough sounds so you can describe it to your veterinarian. This will help your vet decide the best way to care for the cough and make your pooch more comfortable. Which category below best describes your dog’s cough?
Dry, hacking, cough that is deep-sounding
Gagging and high-pitched cough
Wet and phlegmy
Deep and honking, like a goose
Each type of cough indicates a different problem. Take a video of your dog coughing and show it to your vet. This will help the vet decide if the cough signals an emergency or could be contagious, like kennel cough or canine influenza.
What are the symptoms of kennel cough?
The term “kennel cough” is a catchall for any inflammation of the dog’s trachea and lower airways.
It typically causes your dog to produce a deep, dry, honking cough.
Kennel cough is caused by several types of bacteria or viruses, but it produces only mild illness.
Left untreated, kennel cough can move into your dog’s lungs, leading to more severe problems like pneumonia or chronic bronchitis.
It’s also highly contagious and is often spread in group settings such as obedience classes, boarding facilities, or dog parks.
💡See why it’s a smart idea to track your dog’s whereabouts? (Without the trouble of having to monitor your buddy 24/7?)
With your trusty Tractive device logging in where they’ve been spending most of their time, you can pinpoint where they’re coming back from with some extra coughing or sniffling.
Most cases of coughing in dogs are completely treatable. But your dog’s condition needs to be diagnosed in order be treated, so that means a trip to the vet. Bring along a video of your dog coughing in case your pup doesn’t cough during the appointment.
Bring your dog to the vet if your dog experiences any of these:
Your veterinarian can prescribe medication to alleviate the cough. Be sure to keep your pup away from other dogs until they are no longer contagious.
Vaccines like the Bordetella vaccine and Canine Influenza vaccine can protect your dog from getting kennel cough. Your vet can administer them as an injection or nasal spray.
Talk to your vet about these vaccines, especially if your dog is boarded frequently.
The most common reasons you’ve got a dog coughing their head off
Foreign objects in the throat
Dogs sometimes swallow things that they shouldn’t, or they play with sticks or bones that can splinter and lodge in the throat. Coughing is your dog’s attempt to expel the foreign object.
But if the foreign object is wedged tightly in the throat, your dog won’t be able to clear it.
Look around for clues to determine if your dog recently chewed on or ate something that could have lodged in the throat.
If you suspect a foreign object is lodged in the throat, seek veterinary care as this could block the airway or cause infection.
Sometimes, the cough or gag is a result of your dog eating too fast and the food going down the “wrong pipe” (the trachea, which leads to the lungs, instead of the esophagus, which leads to the stomach). Just keep a close eye on your pup after an incident like this.
Environmental allergens
Pollen, smoke, fungi, and other inhaled allergens can cause coughing in your dog. If your dog has allergies, consider keeping them indoors during peak allergy season, or ask your veterinarian for medication to alleviate the symptoms.
If your dog experiences tracheal collapse, their cough may sound like a honking goose. Tracheal collapse occurs when the cartilage surrounding the airway weakens.
Toy dog breeds and obese dogs have an increased risk of developing a collapsed trachea. Treatment for a collapsing trachea includes weight loss and medication to reduce coughing.
A wet, phlegmy cough may indicate a buildup of fluid in the lungs. If the fluid becomes infected, then your dog will have pneumonia. This is a serious condition that requires immediate veterinary attention to protect your pet’s health.
One way to know if your dog might have pneumonia is to watch their breathing. If breathing is labored even when the dog is resting and not coughing, that may be a sign of pneumonia.
When your dog’s heart is not pumping effectively, fluid may start to accumulate around the lungs, resulting in a cough. You may notice the cough becoming more prevalent when your dog is lying down.
Heart disease is more likely to occur in senior dogs.Don’t put off a call to your vet – this is a serious condition.
Other reasons for coughing in dogs include heartworm disease. When not treated, heartworm disease can lead to heart disease. (Which is the main reason for the coughing.)
Heart disease also can cause the heart to enlarge. Which, over time, can put pressure on the trachea – resulting in a cough as well.
Canine chronic bronchitis
When the tiny branches of your dog’s 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.
Reverse sneezing, also known as paroxysmal respiration, may seem like coughing, but it’s 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 it’s over – and your dog will probably act like nothing happened. Don’t 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.
Canine influenza
Coughing, along with sneezing, runny nose, runny eyes, fever, and lethargy can signal canine influenza (dog flu). Ask your vet about supportive care for your pup, such as fluids and other medications to reduce fevers.
It’s important to alert your vet in advance if you are bringing a dog with canine influenza to the office – they may wish to keep your dog away from other pets to prevent the spread of dog flu.
What vets recommend to watch out for – and catch a sickness early
Sometimes it might take a few days for your dog to develop a full-blown cough. The signs they’re sick or struggling with an infection can be subtle and easy to miss – until they’ve worsened, that is.
With its built-in motion detector, yours picks up on your dogs’ daily movements and helps you build a picture of their regular activity.
You can also set activity goals – and pick up quicker if your dog has been missing theirs on the regular. (Which might signal they’re not doing so well, health-wise.)
With time, tracking your dog’s daily activity can help you figure out:
What’s a normal level of activity for your dog
How active your dog is compared to other, similar dogs – from your very own community leaderboard
If there’s a gradual (or even sharp) dip in your dog’s daily activity – which might signal they’re sick, injured, or in pain.
All of which can help you have a more productive conversation with your vet – and save a ton of time, energy, and money you might otherwise have spent on treating your dog’s condition over preventing it.
Persistent coughing can irritate the throat. So here are a couple of home remedies you could try:
Soothe your pup’s throat with honey. Add a spoonful of honey to a bowl of water, up to three times per day.
Place a small humidifier near your dog’s bed can keep your pet’s throat from drying out.
If you don’t have a humidifier, invite your pup into the bathroom while you shower (but not in the actual shower or tub) for a bit of steam therapy. Close the bathroom door so the room gets extra steamy.
Allowing your dog to plenty of rest is important for recovery form any illness. Don’t force them to go on walks or engage in vigorous play. Their body just needs time to recover.
How to prevent coughs in dogs?
Sometimes, there isn’t any way to prevent coughing or gagging in your dog. But you can take some simple precautions to avoid life-threatening illness.
Keep your pup current on all vaccinations including the kennel cough vaccine.
Keep them away from unvaccinated or sick dogs.
Regular vet checkups can help with prevention, safeguard your pet’s health, and catch serious illnesses before they progress.
And finally…
💡Track where your dog’s off wandering – especially if it’s to spots where they might pick up something infectious. (Like if they’ve sniffed out a female in heat at the nearby dog park – where they might end up picking up a virus.)
Which you could do by monitoring your buddy’s movements 24/7 – or letting a GPS tracker for dogs do all the hard work for you.
Your trusty Tractive device also tracks your dog’s daily activity – and helps you stay accountable with regular Health Alerts.
“It can be easy to miss out on changes in your dog’s or cat’s regular activity – or just if they’re on the move more or less than usual.
So we’ve set up Activity Degradation alerts for when your pet’s active minutes drop significantly.
They can help you intervene in a situation where your pet might be struggling with an infection or even just pain.”
– Sebastian Raab, Product Manager at Tractive & occasional pet-sitter
So you can stay on top of your dog’s safety and well-being – all from one device, built with love for dogs and for your peace of mind as a dog parent.
Stay on top of your dog’s wellness
Follow every step in real-time with unlimited range. Get alerts if they wander too far. Keep them happy & healthy with Wellness Monitoring. And let others – like walkers or sitters – keep an eye on your dog too.
If your dog does get treated for a cough, follow your vet’s instructions after your visit. Soon your energetic and loving buddy will be back to their best self!
And if you’ve liked this post, share it with a friend or a loved one – and let’s help build a safer, kinder world for our furry friends together.
Your furry friend’s health and wellbeing means as much as to us as it does to you. So we’ve made it a priority to only share medically-relevant content on our blog.
This post was checked, double-checked, and medically verified by Georgia-based vet, Dr. Dwight Alleyne.
Dr. Dwight Alleyne, DVM
Dwight Alleyne was born and raised in Long Island, New York where his love of animals began. His career for animals began working for a well-known no-kill animal shelter on Long Island.
He worked his way up the career ladder working as a kennel technician, veterinary assistant, and then becoming a licensed veterinary technician at the shelter.
His passion for veterinary medicine led to him applying to and being accepted at Cornell University Veterinary where he graduated from in 2006. After completing a small animal rotating internship at Purdue University, he eventually made his way to Georgia where he has been practicing ever since.
Dr. Alleyne has practiced at several small animal clinics throughout Georgia. He has a keen interest in soft tissue surgery and has extensive experience in performing ultrasounds including echocardiograms.
When he is not practicing medicine, Dr. Alleyne enjoys writing and editing pet health articles and providing pet advice through telehealth.
Dr. Alleyne also has his own blog called “The Animal Doctor Blog.” Check it out on: www.anmldrblog.com.
Approved by Dr. Dwight Alleyne, DVM 
