My dog is making coughing like she is try to clear her throat - what is wrong with her?

Question

My jack russell is making coughing noises. I have taken her to the vetand they said it was kennel cough but she hasn't been near any other dogs. Any ideas on what it might be or how to stop it happening? thanks

Answer 1

Kennel cough in a dog is rather like a cold in us humans. A simple cough linctus will help your dog. She does not have to have been in contact with another dog to catch the virus, she could have picked it up during her daily walk. Its quite easy to catch - like we catch a cold. Treat like you would treat a cold for yourself. Give her a stroke and a doggie biscuit from me - hope she is better soon.

Answer 2

It could be a callapsed trachea but I dont know if jack russells suffer with this, my last chihuahua suffered with this for years in fact all his 13 1/2 years but it is very common in this breed, it is because the trachea is diamond shaped instead of round and the sides stick to-gether and that causes the gagging noise, we used to rub his throat until he gave a big cough and then it would stop.

But if you have had it to the vet and he has said kennel cough I think you should take his advice as to the treatment he is trained to know. Although I wasnt at all happy with the treatment my poor little man got the last six months of his life the tablets that we were given I think shortened his life but maybe I am wrong I will never know.

Answer 3

It sounds like Kennel Cough to me and as your Vet has had five years professional training and probably years of practical experience then it probably IS Kennel Cough.

It is spread by droplet infection like coughs and colds and is very easily caught. Keep your dog away from other dogs until she is well - it can be very serious in puppies and very old dogs so you don't want to spread it around.

Your dog should start to improve in a few days but if her symptoms get worse see the Vet again but leave her in the car until it is your turn as she could infect sick dogs in the waiting room.

Answer 4

my little dog has the same thing...we are not entirely sure what it is but the vet told us the same as you, we actually heard what it also could be from a lady my mum was chatting to in the vets! we think it is a flap of skin going over his throat, the only way we can stop it is (and it sounds nasty) to close his nose holes up. apprently it causes the flap to move back over the right way. your dog wont like it but once it is done, keep her calm for a bit and give her a hug, then she should be fine. it happens mainly when he gets excited. other than that, it may be fluid on the lungs or an enlarged heart, i lost a very dear, perfect little dog to both of those conditions about 3-4 years ago and that is still heart breaking, make sure you keep an eye on it and get her checked out, ok?! good luck and give her a stroke from me! ta! x

Answer 5

How old is your dog? Also do you live in an area where Heartworm is a problem, and if so, is your dog on Heartworm preventative?
If it is just kennel cough it should subside in about a week, it is a virus and will run its course. Some vets prescribe antbiotics for secondary infection, and also a cough suppresant.

Answer 6

your dog could have allergies. it sounds weird, but it does happen.

but if the vet says kennel cough, then it might be. kennel cough is cold. like all colds, you'll jst have to ride it out. our puppy that we got from a rescue, had a runny nose. he started to cough, like something was caught in its throat. then he developed clear snot that soon turned into cloudy snot. we took him to the vet and he ws diagnosed with kennel cough. we got antibiotics and anti histamine (not sure why, but we got that). he was fine after a week on the rx. i told the vet he was coughing like a smoker, when he wakes up in the am. but i noticed he stopped and he's okay now.

hope that helps.

Answer 7

Try another vet. Dogs can have allergies. If it is kennel cough your vet should have treated your dogs condition. Could your dog have ingested something that is making your dog sick? Are you a heavy smoker. Your dog may not be able to tolerate second hand smoke.

Answer 8

It certainly sounds like kennel cough but it could also be worms. try worming her and if she doesnt get better take her back to the vet. I know this may sound silly but if you get benilyn for children you can give it your dog to ease the symptoms. It helps them a lot and is not dangerous to them.

Answer 9

Small dogs are known to have allergies, and anything can provoke an allergy attack. My dog does the same thing, when he has an attack, it often sounds like he can't breath. My cousin is a vet tech in Texas and she came to visit me and heard him during an attack. She said it was a reverse sneeze. She told me to go to the drug store and get baby nose drops called "Little Noses" decongestant drops. When he starts having an attack, i just grab his muzzle and put 1 to 2 drops in each nostril and he stops his attack almost immediately. He has them more often in the spring and fall so i assume it is a pollen allergy of some sort. I have a miniature greyhound and they are fragile dogs plus he is only 11 lbs. so if your dog is larger or about the same size i would recommend the same dosage. good luck

Answer 10

I have a Jack Russel who does that too. She usually does it after she drinks or if she gets really excited. The vet told me it was probably a collapsed trachea. These are not usually serious unless it begins to effect their breathing. However, you may still want to let the vet check it out b/c sometimes it can become serious