Just like in humans when pets develop problems or diseases they typically exhibit symptoms. One of the most common symptoms is to see your dog coughing or appearing to gag on something. A big difference between dogs and people is that when we’re all we can generally communicate how it’s making us feel, not so with dogs.
With this in mind, it is important to be vigilant as to potential issues that can develop in your dogs. You should be prepared to notice problems as they develop, which will often be exhibited as symptoms. One of the most common symptoms is coughing, which can have various causes:
Dogs like to explore with their mouths, a trait that is common amongst favour-legged animals. The problem with doing this is that foreign objects can be ingested, which can cause all sorts of problems. It is common for dogs to ingest rubber toys, the splinters from bones or many others objects, which can cause a painful coughing and block the airways.
Besides this very obvious and common problem, there are a raft of health problems that can cause coughing as a symptom. Common amongst these are conditions like kennel cough or a sore throat. Sometimes the underlying condition might be more serious, such as bronchitis, tracheal collapse or even congestive heart failure.
As well as ensuring you use safe pet supplies it is important that when you suspect your dog has a health issue you consult your vet.
