Why does my dog cough like a goose when excited? Tracheal collapse?

It could be Heidi has a collapsing trachea. This can be common in toy breed dogs, and you see coughing when they are excited. It could also be due to heart disease. I'd take her into the vet tomorrow to get this checked out. Best of luck.

As Dr. Linda mentioned, a honking cough can be due to respiratory infections, including kennel cough (tracheobronchitis). It can also be due to conditions like a collapsing trachea, reverse sneezing, or other more serious respiratory issues. I included a link below that has a video of a dog reverse sneezing for comparison to Niko’s episodes at home. If this issue persists, if Niko has any other concerning changes at home (loss of appetite, lethargy, changes in his normal breathing efforts or patterns, etc.), it would be best to have him examined by your vet. Wishing you and Niko the best! https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952493

Hello there! Collapsing trachea is a condition where the cartilaginous rings that surround the trachea and keep it an open tube are weakened, and sometimes, when excited or breathing hard, the trachea will flatten or collapse. This causes a harsh, loud "honking" sound when breathing, and sometimes coughing. This condition is more common in small breeds as a genetic abnormality, but it could also be seen in other dog breeds as a result of respiratory infection, obesity, or damage/disease of the trachea. The treatment for collapsing trachea depends on its cause and severity. Most dogs with collapsing trachea are managed by keeping them calm and in good body condition, and sometimes with the use of cough suppressants and steroids for inflammation caused by coughing. Some dogs do require surgery if their coughing and honking doesn't abate with regularity, or if they have trouble breathing. Surgical implantation of plastic rings around the trachea is currently the surgical treatment of choice. It really is quite uncommon in larger, young dogs, so I highly recommend that Bruno has a full work-up by the vet before considering his symptoms to be caused by collapsing trachea. Kennel cough, for example, can produce very similar symptoms. Good luck, and I hope Bruno gets well soon!

There are a few different reasons pets can make the sound. It could be related to a collapsing trachea, fluid in the lungs or laryngeal paralysis. Try to record a video of the coughing and then have your pup examined by the veterinarian. The doctor may recommend radiographs after the physical exam and watching the video. I hope this helps.

Hello! I hate to hear that Iggy has this happening to him. Coughing can have many causes. In general, the most common are all allergies, kennel cough, or poor air quality (and often it can be even a combination of these). A collapsing trachea can cause a deep cough. It is often described as a goose, honking cough. Some people will also describe a condition, known as a reverse sneeze as a cough. You likely could go online and find several videos of pets who have these conditions and could see what they sound like. YouTube has many videos of pets exhibiting the types of conditions. If this is infectious, in an otherwise healthy pet, they can often clear the infection without a vet visit. There are some things you can do at home to aid in the recovery: Avoid any strenuous activity and vocalization. Panting, barking, and vocalization will cause further irritation to the trachea, and this will cause more coughing…. Which will cause more irritation. Keep your pup indoors. Only go outside to potty and then back inside. Keep the air filters changed on the recommended routine schedules in your house, and you may consider adding an additional HEPA air filter. Make the drinking water and food room temperature. Retailers do sell herbal remedies that can help to soothe the cough for dogs. Honey can also help. Run a humidifier in the room Iggy hangs out in the most. Do not add any essential oils. Avoid contact with other dogs for one week after the coughing ends in case it’s contagious. Have Iggy examined if you see: A significant decrease in eating or drinking. Significant lethargy. Coughing to the point of vomiting. Coughing so frequently, it is not allowing proper rest or sleep. Discharge from the nose or eyes that is green or yellow and last three days or more. Coughing up blood or any pink tinged fluid. Worsening cough. A cough not improving after one week or lasting longer than two weeks. Any significant deviation from normal in any form. I hope this helps, and that Iggy recovers quickly! Sincerely, Dr. Elizabeth

Has your dog ever had an xray of his throat (windpipe)? If not I highly recommend that you talk to your veterinarian about such an x-ray. Small dogs often suffer from a collapsed trachea (wind pipe) and this can be diagnosed easily with radiographs. Here is some information: https://www.petcoach.co/article/collapsed-trachea-in-dogs/ I hope that helps.

Hello, sorry to hear about Shiloh. It looks like she is an older pup and the potentials for what is causing her to collapse can vary greatly (anything from neurologic in origin to orthopedic in origin). In older pets, severe muscle loss, heart problems, or other metabolic problems can contribute to their weakness and collapsing episodes. In a dog with a cough however, I would be most concerned with an underlying heart problem, then a neurologic or orthopedic problem. I would recommend seeing her veterinarian to have her evaluated and check her for any underlying heart problems, neurologic or orthopedic problems. Hope this helps and best of luck.