Coughing in Pets
How many times have you asked someone, “Are you ill?” or “Did something go down the wrong pipe?” Unfortunately, when our pets cough, they can’t answer those questions. We can only assume if they cough right after they eat, something might be caught in their throat, but coughing in pets can be caused from many different things. Pet coughing can be caused from viruses, bacterial infections, fungal infections, parasites, allergies, tracheal trauma (too much tugging on a collar or something caught in an animal's throat), tonsillitis or something as severe as heart failure or cancer. Keep in mind, a cough involves a forceful explosion of air coming out of the mouth. Coughing is not gagging, wheezing, labored breathing, vomiting, retching or sneezing. Knowing when your pet coughs, along with how it sounds, can help diagnose the cause of a pet’s coughing. Animals who cough at night may be suffering from heart failure, a collapsing trachea or lung edema (not simply a desire to keep their poor owners awake all night). A cough that occurs after your pet exercises can be caused from bronchitis, heart disease, or tracheal irritation. Coughing that follows drinking water may due to tracheal collapse. This is usually a honking cough that can also be caused by collar trauma. Coughs originating from the trachea may be simulated by lightly squeezing the animal’s trachea—like a too-tight collar would. Some breeds of dogs are more prone to a collapsed trachea. Toy breeds, especially Pomeranians commonly suffer from this type of problem. See a veterinarian and consider using a humidifier if you have an animal prone to this problem. Chest harnesses are recommended—over regular collars—to avoid tracheal damage in smaller breeds. A weak subtle cough may be heard in animals with pulmonary edema or fluid in their lungs. A weak, dry cough accompanied by sneezing can be a sign of Bordatella or kennel cough. A persistent hacking cough in older cats and dogs can be a sign of tumors in the lungs. A consistent moist cough can be a sign of lung infection or heart disease in middle and older aged pets. A veterinarian will listen to your pet’s heart for murmurs and abnormal heart rates and rhythms. Abnormal sounds in the upper left quadrant of the heart can be a sign of mitral valve insufficiency. Fluid in the pet’s lungs and pressure on the trachea usually are the cause of the cough. This type of heart disease is common in dogs over the age of ten. The animal’s gums will usually appear bluish-grey. Coughing in larger dogs like boxers and Dobermans can be due to a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy. Cats can also have dilated cardiomyopathy, but it is normally related to a deficiency of taurine in their diet. Animals with dilated cardiomyopathy will become listless and have a fast weak heart rate. Hookworms and roundworms can also lead to coughing in cats and dogs and is more common in younger pets, the larvae may burrow through the stomach or intestine and travel in the bloodstream to the lungs causing a pet coughing. One of the worst causes of pet coughing is due to heartworms. These animals are usually quite ill and their dry to moist cough gets worse when they rest. Cats with heartworms are more likely to have labored breathing than coughing. Allergies have also been known to lead to coughing in pets. Although allergies in pets are somewhat uncommon, they have been known to occur in response to dust mites, perfumes and many of the same things humans are allergic to, including secondhand smoke. Cats can be sensitive to perfumes and deodorizers in their litter. However, allergies usually are a secondary cause of most pet coughing—accept for asthmatic cats, who will have a chronic non-productive cough. These cats are usually younger to middle age. One of the first signs of distemper in dogs is a dry soft cough. Canine distemper is caused by viruses like canine adenovirus, canine parainfluenza virus, or canine respiratory coronavirus, or bacterial infections such as Bordetella bronchiseptica. The animal usually runs a fever, becomes lethargic and has a discharge from its eyes and nose. Healthy dogs will usually recover from distemper in about two weeks. Cats can also develop coughs from viruses, for example, feline infectious peritonitis is a virus known to result in fluid around the lungs. Animals with viral infections will sometimes develop secondary bacterial infections due to a weakened immune system. Cats will occasionally develop a cough caused from rhinotracheitis, which is the same bordatella bacteria that causes kennel cough in dogs. An amino acid l-lysine has been known to help cats with rhinotracheitis. Many veterinarians recommend sprinkling l-lysine over their food at a rate of 250-500 mg per day. Cats that have a chronic cough may need to be screened for another bacteria, the Bartonella bacteria, if other causes have been ruled out. Bartonella has been known to cause chronic respiratory inflammation. Your veterinarian may take thoracic radiographs (x-rays) or perform an ultrasound. However, your vet may also need to retrieve cells to examine under a microscope or send to a lab. This is done with procedures like a trans-tracheal wash (which collects fluids from the throat), a bronchoalveolar lavage (a bronchoscope is passed through the trachea into the lungs where cells and fluid are collected) or a fine-needle aspiration ( a procedure where cells are collected from the animal using a small diameter needle and a syringe). Any pet will cough occasionally, but pet coughing that is often or chronic will need to be treated and should not be ignored.
Natural and holistic treatments have been used for centuries to treat and provide symptomatic relief for respiratory problems. Herbal ingredients combined with selected biochemic tissue salts are safe and gentle to use while at the same time also promotes overall vitality and wellness for your pet’s health. Herbs such as Plantago lanceolata and Echinacea purpurea supports the upper respiratory tract and acts as a tonic for the immune system. Bryonia, Ferrum Phosphate, Kalium sulphate and Magnesium phosphate soothes coughs, and keeps the lungs, chest and throat clear and healthy.
researcher Sheli Ellsworth Herbal and Homeopathic Supplements for Coughing in Pets |
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