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What You Need To Know If Your Pet Is Coughing And Sneezing

Vet Talks 4 min read
Cat sneezing while laying on a pale blue blanket. What you should know if your pet is coughing and sneezing

When you hear your pet start coughing and sneezing, it can be concerning. There are many potential causes of coughing and sneezing in dogs and cats and the severity can be indicated by factors such as their frequency and the pet’s age, for instance. In this blog, I will talk about symptoms to keep note of, when you should visit the vet, common causes, and natural support.

Should You Visit The Vet If Your Pet Is Coughing And Sneezing?

These symptoms can be caused by a variety of factors.

Since these symptoms can be caused by a variety of factors, a thorough history and physical examination made by a veterinarian can help decide which ones are most likely to be affecting your little one. An examination can also help the vet decide which diagnostic tests will be the best to recommend and which therapies are most likely to be effective. If your pet is coughing or sneezing frequently for more than a few days, a visit to the vet is highly recommended.

Determining the Cause

The information that you share with the veterinarian can also be very helpful in pinpointing the cause of coughing and/or sneezing in your little one. Keep note of information such as the nature of the cough and/or sneeze, when it occurs, and if anything brings on these symptoms.

For instance, pets with disorders such as heart conditions, collapsing trachea, and edema in the lungs tend to cough more at night than during the day. The pet can also cough following a period of excitement, exercising, drinking water, eating. This kind of information can indicate if the issue might be located in the trachea, heart, or esophagus, for instance.

Sometimes, the cough can be moist, which could indicate accumulation of fluid in the airways or in the lungs and some coughs can also be dry. Infectious diseases, bacterial and fungal infections of the lungs, asthma, and parasites (such as heartworms) can also cause these symptoms. It is important to test your little one for those as well to rule them out.

Tests that may be recommended to identify the cause of coughs and sneezes can include different blood tests, stool exams, radiography (X-rays), ultrasound, electrocardiogram, and bronchoscopy, among others.

Collie dog sneezing while laying on the ground with a yellow ball. What you need to know if your pet is coughing and sneezing

Common Conditions That Cause Coughing And Sneezing

As mentioned above, medical examination and testing are needed to determine the cause of coughing and sneezing, but here are some conditions that are often related to these symptoms.

Tracheal Collapse

Tracheal collapse is a condition that occurs mostly in middle-aged or senior, or overweight, small breed dogs. Tracheal collapse is rare in cats. The cough is often described as sounding like a “goose honking” and the treatment often includes weight reduction, the use of cough suppressants, and some sedatives. Surgery can also be indicated in some cases.

At NHV, we have a kit that can be very beneficial for this condition, the Collapsed Trachea Super Support kit. This kit contains four of our all-natural supplements (Resp-Aid, Turmeric, Lesstress, and Petomega 3) to support healthy breathing, help reduce uncomfortable symptoms, and promote cartilage health.

Kennel Cough

Kennel cough (or infectious tracheobronchitis) is another condition that has coughing as one of the main symptoms. It can affect both cats and dogs and can be caused by several infectious organisms, including bacteria and viruses. Some veterinarians can prescribe medication such as cough suppressants for this condition.

We have a kit that can be very helpful and that can also be used alongside the vet’s prescribed treatment, the NHV Kennel Cough Kit. This kit contains two products, Resp-Aid and Stimmune. These two supplements work together to encourage respiratory health, help fight infection, and support the immune system.

Heart Conditions

As mentioned before, coughs can be caused by heart conditions too. An enlarged heart can put pressure on the airways causing cough and a failing heart can lead to edema in the lungs.

For extra support for the heart and lungs, you can add the Cardiovascular Super Support Health kit, Resp-Aid, and Natures Immuno to their regimen. The Cardiovascular kit contains Hearty-Heart and Turmeric which both promote healthy heart and circulatory function, can help with symptoms of heart conditions such as lack of energy, and have properties that can help with inflammation and discomfort. Resp-Aid is our main supplement for respiratory support and is formulated with herbs that have properties that can be beneficial for reducing coughing. Natures Immuno is a blend of medicinal mushrooms that have benefits for many parts of the body including the heart and lungs.

Black cat sitting on the floor coughing.

Allergies

Airborne allergens are particles in the air including mold, dust, pollen, and smoke. All of these can cause allergic lung disorders, sneezing, runny nose, and coughing. For coughing caused by allergies, it’s a good idea to use Resp-Aid with Stimmune. You can also find these supplements in our Asthma Kit for Respiratory Relief.

Cancer

Especially in older pets, cancer has to be considered. The lungs receive a large amount of blood that flows through the rest of the body. Lung cancers in dogs and cats most often originate from other organs and are transferred from those organs through the blood to the lungs. For these cases, it might be a good idea to add supplements such as ES-Clear (our main supplement for cancer support), Resp-Aid, and Natures Immuno to the treatment prescribed by the veterinarian.

Treatment

Treatment of coughing and sneezing pets depends upon the disease diagnosed and may include different medications. Our supplements are safe to be given with prescribed medications. It’s important to keep in mind that we recommend giving the supplements 2 hours before giving the medications as this will give the body time for the tinctures to start taking effect, which will help support their body when taking pharmaceuticals.

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out to our Pet Experts! You can start chatting with our Pet Expert team now by clicking the button below. We are always here for you!

Dr. Aline Dias DVM

Dr. Aline Dias DVM

Dr. Aline Dias is a veterinary graduate from the Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil. She worked for five years with research in Bacteriology and Virology fields, but she found her true passion in feline medicine. As soon as Dr. Aline immigrated to Canada, she adopted two kittens: Chilli and Keke. Dr. Aline is now a full-time crazy cat lady and when she’s not working at NHV she spends her time spoiling her furbabies or going for walks at the beach.

Published: October 21, 2021

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