My dog is coughing. Allergies or kennel cough? What should I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Kennel cough is an upper respiratory infection which sometimes can even affect the lower respitatory system or lungs. It is sometimes due to bacterial or viral infections. This is a relatively common disease in puppies especially if not vaccinated. It is contagious and usually dogs get it from other affected dogs. Coughing can of course happen due to other pulmonary conditions like pneumonia for example. I recommend that you have Naja evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may take thoracic radiographs and may prescribe antibiotics. Good luck and have a good day!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Precious! There are many reasons for coughing: kennel cough, allergies, pneumonia, heart failure or cancer. Since it has only been a few days it is ok to give her more time. Kennel cough takes 2 weeks to resolve. If the cough worsens or hasn’t resolved in 2 weeks then I recommend a recheck and chest X-rays. I wish you the best!

If they have both developed the same cough I would be concerned about viral causes and a potential kennel cough. I would discuss this with your veterinarian. The skin and ears can definitely be allergies. Benadryl is great for allergies and there are other antihistamines if this doesn't work. There are also other great options like cytopoint (an injectable medication for allergies) and apoquel (a daily pill for allergies). Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope they both get better soon.

Coughing can be a symptom of many issues in our pets and some are more serious then others. The cough can stem from something occurring with the heart/vessels, lungs, airways, upper throat, or inside the chest/outside the lungs. There can be parasite causes (such as heartworms, lung worms, etc.), infectious causes (bacteria, viruses; unfortunately the Bordetella vaccine does not always prevent kennel cough as it is typically a complex of viral +/- bacterial causes, although typically there is exposure to other dogs in the history for this ailment), inhaled foreign material as you suggest, airway change (like tracheal (large airway) collapse), disease of the lung (such as bronchitis or pneumonia), and several other causes in various areas (inflammation, etc.). Is Stella otherwise normal (eating normally, playing with good energy)? If so this is a good sign. If you feel like she is otherwise not feeling well in association with the cough or the cough continues/worsens or is moist or productive it would be best to have her evaluated by your family vet. That way he or she can listen to her heart and lungs. A chest x-ray may also be recommended as an initial step. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Coughing can be a sign of many conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis, heart disease, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Harley evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics to be performed include thoracic radiographs and bloodwork. Treatment would be dependent on findings. Good luck and have a good night!

Either one is possible with a hacking cough - kennel cough would be most common in a dog his age, but allergies can certainly cause a cough as well. You may want to check in with your vet tomorrow since they just performed a physical exam and make sure there is no additional testing they would want to perform (such as a chest x-ray) with this new information. Kennel cough is often self limiting and no specific treatment is necessary since it is often viral, however your vet might want to prescribe some medications to help with the symptoms. An allergic cough is sometimes treated with cough suppressants or anti-inflammatory medication.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Chunk. You are right, it could be heart related and the way to know that is to have him seen by a vet. The vet can listen to his heart with a stethoscope, and may take x-rays of his chest. It could also be due to his allergies. I do recommend a vet visit to have this issue diagnosed and treated. I hope this helps!