My dog has a cough. Can I give him children's cough syrup safely?

We do not normally recommend a cough suppressant over the counter for coughing in dogs without first examining the pet as there are some cases where a cough suppressant would be contraindicated. If your dog is coughing, I would definitely recommend an examination by a veterinarian as there can be many different causes for the cough, including infectious disease, anatomical abnormalities like collapsing trachea, heart failure, heartworm infection, and more. We need to try to determine the underlying cause of the cough before we can properly treat the cough.

Hi there! Asher is very cute :) Many human cough syrups have ingredients that are dangerous for dogs, so we don't recommend giving them unless your veterinarian has recommended a specific product and given you a dosage to use. There are many things that can cause coughing in dogs, and treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is. Because of this, if Asher is coughing enough that you feel he needs medication, I would recommend taking him to the vet for an exam. He/she can listen to his heart and lungs, and may recommend chest x-rays or other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem. If he has a condition that cough syrup would be useful for, your vet will recommend a specific product to use, or may prescribe a cough syrup specifically for dogs if necessary.

I would be really careful with human cough syrups as some ingredients can be toxic to dogs. It certainly sounds like it could be a kennel cough infection. Before you can get to the vet I would recommend making a home cough syrup of warm honey and lemon to soothe the throat. It is less risky than human cough bottle.

Do not give any medications to your pup without the advice of your veterinarian. Legally, we are prohibited from providing dosing information, even for OTC meds, in the absence of a patient-veterinarian-client relationship and a physical exam.

I’m sorry to hear about Tanner. This sounds like it could be collapsing trachea which is a chronic disease. I would avoid human cough syrup as the dosing is unknown and if it contains decongestants it can be potentially toxic. Finally, some of the sweeteners used in medicines can be toxic to dogs. Take one more trip to the vet and discuss the pros and cons of a more long-term prescription for a dog-safe cough suppressant. Best of luck to you and Tanner!

Unfortunately, by law it is illegal for the experts at Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to give the dose information for any drug, including OTC drugs, without seeing the animal in person first. That's because doing so requires a veterinary client patient relationship which cannot be achieved via an internet forum. In addition, the experts cannot say for certain if a specific drug is safe for your dog. I would not give this to Waldo unless prescribed for him by your vet, and under their supervision. You can discuss with your vet if this is safe to give him, and they can give you the dose information.

Hi and thank you for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While Dextromethorphan (the active ingredient) in Tussin Adult Cough Medicine can be given to dogs, Unfortunately for legal reasons, I cannot give dosage information for over the counter human made drugs through the internet. You may inquire about the dosages of this medication through your primary care veterinarian. So sorry and I hope Have feels better soon!