My dog is gagging and coughing. Should I take him to the vet?

Hello and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Yes I would recommend you take Toby into your vet for an exam to make sure he doesn't have a upper respiratory infection and rule out other health issues that could be causing his symptoms. Always a good idea to check in with your vet! Best of luck to you and Toby!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Gucci. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian as he may have an upper respiratory tract infection. It is characterized by a hacking gagging cough that may produce a white foamy material. If this is the case, he will likely need an antibiotic. Be sure to keep him home and away from other dogs as he may be contagious. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sampson. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. There is the potential that he is choking on a portion of the plastic bag. He could also be experiencing an upper respiratory tract infection that is characterized by a hacking gagging cough. Some dogs will hack up a white foamy material. His veterinarian should be able to differentiate between these scenarios given his exam findings. I hope this information helps!

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that Toby has been unwell. It sounds like he may have a cold (i.e. kennel cough). Other possibilities include pneumonia, or heart issues. I would recommend taking Toby to the vet if his coughing and lethargy doesn't improve within the next 24 hours. In the meantime, keep up his food and water intake, and allow him plenty of opportunities to rest. If it is kennel cough, you'll want to keep him away from other dogs anyway as it is contagious. I hope this helps, and that Toby is feeling better soon!

I'm sorry your dog is having this issue. Kennel cough is typically a dry, almost "honking" cough that can produce a white foamy/mucus substance- they can cough so hard it causes a gag reflex. It usually starts at one time of day and then gets worse and more frequent. Do you have other dogs in your home or neighbor dogs that play with your dog? If so, are they gagging or coughing? Kennel cough is very contagious thus can spread to other dogs in close contact. If you are noticing this, I would contact your vet so they can determine if your dog needs an antibiotic. Some other possibilities for what you are noticing are other respiratory infections, allergies and/or a reverse sneeze or there may be something stuck in your dogs throat (like a grass seed or part of a rawhide chew). Also, some dogs can simply drink too fast especially when it's very hot- this can cause some water to go down "the wrong pipe" and then a gag response. If your dog continues to gag or, especially if the gag becomes more frequent or severe, I would take him back to your vet. Your vet can listen to your dog's lungs for sounds of infection and may want to take a chest X-ray as a next step in working this up. I hope your dog feels better soon!

I am sorry to hear about Bubu. I would recommend bringing him in to the vet for an examination (particularly because he is a pug so he already has a compromised respiratory system due to his conformation so it is best for any possible respiratory problem to be seen as soon as possible). This could be an issue with the respiratory tract such as kennel cough, or it could be a gastrointestinal issue. The vet will listen to his heart and lungs, palpate his throat, and may recommend x-rays based on their exam. It is not likely related to your family's illness as dogs do not normally catch human flu virus.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This sign could be compatible with a respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a tracheitis/bronchitis (inflammatory, allergic, infective). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!