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Medication Finder
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Overview
Causes
Symptoms
Treatment
Cough
Coughing is one of the best and most powerful reflexes in the body. It
helps expel any foreign materials in the throat or lungs. It is a symptom
that should never be ignored.
Coughing in pets is generally due to either cardiac or respiratory
disease. Cardiac disease includes heartworms, congestive heart failure,
or cardiac tumors. Respiratory disease includes kennel cough,
pneumonia, collapsing trachea, foreign bodies inhaled in trachea,
tumors, bronchitis (dogs), and asthma (in cats).
Cardiac disease usually exhibits a wet, productive cough. Kennel cough
is very dry and can be so severe dogs will vomit afterwards. Collapsing
trachea sounds like a "goose honk" and is more common in the smaller
breed dogs. A cough more exaggerated at night can suggest heart
failure or tracheal collapse.
Unless the coughing is due to a tumor or foreign body, medical
management is the best route. There are many great medications
available that are very effective at treating heart failure, and they are
proven to extend your pet's life. Heartworms are now treated with
injections and the treatment is very effective. Kennel cough is easy to
manage, as long as it is treated early with antibiotics and cough
suppressants and pneumonia has not developed. Tracheal collapse can
not be cured, even though previous surgeries were thought to be
effective. These patients do quite well with cough suppressants and
halter style collars. Their activity may need to be altered slightly.
Bronchitis is managed with antibiotics, bronchodilators, and sometimes
steroids.